


Your Rival Appeared!

by risquetendencies



Category: Pocket Monsters: Black & White | Pokemon Black and White Versions
Genre: F/M, Game!verse, Gen, written as if you are the player
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-21
Updated: 2014-04-21
Packaged: 2018-01-20 05:53:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 29,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1499074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/risquetendencies/pseuds/risquetendencies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You loved your best friends, you truly did, but they seemed to pick the most inconvenient times to bump into you along your journey.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. From Home To Route 3

**.**

**.**

**.**

**IN NUVEMA TOWN**

**(** idle mode **)**

**.**

**.**

**.**

You twiddle your thumbs-metaphorically, because physically doing it would be pretty lame-and watch, supremely unconcerned while Cheren stamps around your room, checking the clock every few paces. You and he both know that you have failed. Of all days to forget that special quirk of Bianca's, it had to be today.

Normally, you and he would conspire, and the formula was this. Tell her that whatever's going on is happening half-an-hour earlier than it truly is, and she'll make it there at the real start date.

Cheren's smart. On his own, he could brainstorm a thousand ways how both of you managed to forget to tell Bianca to come early. You were over-excited, causing sleep deprivation that was too much of a priority to suffer through that it slipped your mind. You thought maybe she'd surprise you with a speedy arrival on such a momentous day in your guys' lives. Or maybe it was that you both went temporarily insane up until now, and during your 'episode' neglected to pick up the phone or walk down the road to her house to remind her to be on time. But this isn't the point.

The point is she's forty-five minutes late, and your patience is wearing thin. There's just something about a neatly wrapped gift box that tempts any human being to the brink of madness. And this one had a beautiful bow on top. Oh, you wanted to tear that sucker open as soon as it was delivered to your house this morning. But, following the "advice" of your mother, and your own decent set of ethics, you kept your paper-ripping fingers under lock and key until both of your best friends were here to open it with you, you saint.

And yet, you hear the magic sound. Feet flying up the stairs with heavy footsteps; Bianca was not wired for stealth. Cheren looks away from the window, and at you, a momentary smirk. A smirk that says "Ah, now we can begin."

From this day forward, the three of you are more than friends. You're rivals.

**.**

**.**

**.**

**IN ACCUMULA TOWN**

**(** beginning mode **)**

You step out into the dazing overcast-ness of Accumula Town, having just completed your tour of the Pokémon Center with Bianca and Professor Juniper. The latter's gone on home, and Bianca's deliberating on what to buy from the mart. Now that your journey is finally underway, you seem to have lost all your stores of patience. You want to get out there and do the darn thing, so waiting around for B to decide between Potions and Poké Balls is not looking appetizing.

Route 2 seems the logical direction to go, you think-it's actually your only option at this point, but making important decisions feels powerful, new, and thrilling.

You inhale before beginning your trek to the outskirts of the town. En route, you pass by Accumula Plaza, where some sort of demonstration looks to be in progress. You stop in place. Is this something you ought to pay attention to? Most of the people watching the speech look to be much older than you, and not especially Ace-trainer material. For all you know, it could be a topic completely unrelated to yourself.

And you honestly had already decided on going ahead to Route 2 and skipping the spectacle, had a person in the back of the crowd met your eye. If it was relevant to him, it was relevant to you.

Much irrelevant hot air and a plethora of impassioned words later, the speaker had left, and the crowds had dispersed, leaving you and Cheren to decipher what it was you just heard. The key phrase was Pokémon liberation. Being that you two had just received your first Pokémon, you were not too keen on the idea of just releasing them now. You were in the middle of reassuring each other when you were approached by a very curious young man. Young enough, but clearly older than both of you. He had long, bushy green hair capped off by a hat, and a cube hanging off the belt-line of his jeans. He engaged both your attentions when he rattled something strange off about your team.

"Your Pokémon... Just now, it was saying..."

You were taken aback at this, and so it seemed, was Cheren. He jumped into the conversation before you could think of a response, beginning by putting both hands out in front of him as if to emphasize his point. "Slow down," he said, his eyes flickering over the guy, analyzing him. "You talk too fast. And what's this about Pokémon...talking? That's an odd thing to say." Indeed you could tell exactly what Cheren thought about it by his carefully measured tone.

"Yes, they're talking. Oh." He paused for a moment, looking rather confused by your reactions, and almost a little put out. He shifted on his feet, taking a new tack but still failing to explain his ponderous ways. "Then, you two can't hear it, either... How sad. My name is N."

"My name is Cheren, and this is Touko. We were asked to complete the Pokédex and we just left on our journey. _My_ main goal is to become the Champion, though."

You nodded at N, not feeling inspired to say anything else. You waited quietly by your friend's side and let him do the talking. It's not as if you had a goal like Cheren did, you were really only getting started. It would nice to be Champion, but that goal seemed so lofty to you that you didn't dare dream it. You had decided you would figure out what you wanted to do as you went along. Bianca had said the same when you last talked to her - the two of you promised to help each other achieve the goals you decided on if it was at all possible. The reason you didn't bother having that conversation with Cheren was that he had always been the type to want to do things on his own when it was for him. He was happy to help you or Bianca if you needed it, but his goals were his own to accomplish. You respected that about him.

"The Pokédex, eh?" Unlike other people, who normally would have been impressed to hear about young people being given such an important task, N looked, well, angry in a way. He was hiding it under a practiced smile, but not skillfully.

"So... You're going to confine many, many Pokémon in Poké Balls for that, then. I'm a Trainer, too, but I can't help wondering... Are Pokémon really happy that way?" And there it was, the reason. You took it as that he had also been impacted by the speech given at the plaza today. To one side, Cheren seemed unaffected by this statement, but you couldn't help but feel a little perturbed. There was something in the way he said what he said to make you uneasy. _'Are Pokemon really happy that way_?'

Your eyes were on the ground, considering this, when N spoke once more. You looked up at the sound of your name only to find him gazing intently at you.

"Well, Touko, is it? Let me hear your Pokémon's voice again!"

You panicked, caught unaware by this sudden challenge. Picking Snivy's ball off your belt, you sent him out to face the opposing Purrloin.

After a series of unorthodox introductions, this newcomer had challenged you to your first battle outside of the ones you'd had with your friends. When all was said and done, you were pleasantly surprised to find that you won and you were immensely proud of your Pokémon, not to mention the effort they put into battling alongside you. The man, N, muttered more about Pokémon being confined in their balls, basically echoing the speech you'd just heard, and then departed.

"As long as Pokémon are confined in Poké Balls... Pokémon will never become perfect beings. I have to change the world for Pokémon, because they're my friends."

Cheren, who had been watching the battle with those same, analytical eyes, remarked, "Huh... Strange guy. But I'm not going to worry about it. Trainers and Pokémon help each other out! Listen, I'm going on ahead." He left you behind to decide your own course of action.

You didn't know just then, but it would be because of him that your journey was just about to get extraordinary.

**.**

**.**

**.**

**IN THE DREAMYARD**

**(** badge-seeking mode **)**

You see the outrage written all over Bianca's face as she tells off the Team Plasma grunts. You, yourself, are more of a silent seether, but you're just as angry. Kicking a Pokémon was behavior befitting only the lowest of the low. You have the strongest urge to involve yourself in the fray, physically remove these losers from the area so they can't cause any more harm to a defenseless Munna. You forget for a moment that you're a teenage girl with little in the way of muscles or fighting experience. Logic doesn't seem important right now.

And in lieu of obtaining their dream mist, the grunts turn their sights on you, and announce they're going to take your Pokémon from you. One advances in your direction, arm raised, and in a panic, you reach for the first Poké Ball on your belt, and send out Snivy. His reptilian eyes are narrowed; he probably heard the trouble from inside his ball, and he seems to know instinctively that you need protection.

The grunt is forced to stumble back a few paces as a nasty Vine Whip hits him across his legs, driving him away from getting closer to you. Bianca screeches something about how they shouldn't hurt you, and yet you barely hear it. You and Snivy are on the same wavelengths right now, and everyone else is absent. The grunt sends out his Patrat, and the battle truly begins.

Two battles with crooks later, you're spraying Potion on Snivy, and thanking it for its bravery by stroking the top of its head fondly. Bianca hovers nearby, looking a bit ashamed that she never stepped in to help. You look up from where you're kneeling on the Dreamyard's floor, and shoot her a patient smile. _Next time_ , it seems to say. You've already forgiven her.

After all, you never would have known your ability to handle a tense situation if Bianca had been there to coddle and aid you. And that's a discovery that you owe to her, though she probably doesn't even know you feel indebted to her for it.

Waking life is sometimes far stranger than your most unusual dream, but somehow it all works out in the end, and you learn something new, even if you don't always remember it clearly later on.

After this, it's time for your first Gym match, which turns out to be against triplet Leaders. Somehow you feel more ready for it than you ever did this morning. With Snivy at your side, you can get through anything, even the bumps in the road, and that's not a dream, it's a fact.

**.**

**.**

**.**

**ON ROUTE 3**

**(** comfort mode **)**

Cheren and you are having a civilized conversation about the battle you two had just had. You won (again), and you can tell it's eating away at him. His opinion is that you both have one gym badge, you both started being a Trainer at the same time-you should be equal in strength.

Yet somehow, you've edged him out by a little on another occasion. It boggles his mind, and even you are a little surprised that this is the situation. You have no problem admitting that your friend knows much, much more about Pokémon than you do. He's been studying up on them since even before you two and Bianca left on your journey. He knows more attack patterns and strategies-the things you would assume would be useful in becoming a great battler.

Only, you won. Not Cheren. Neither of you quite comprehends why.

You're happy, excited, proud of your team for this success, but it'd be rude to display that in front of Cheren (he's not good at taking a loss). So you're trying your best to make him feel better about it when you're interrupted by someone yelling off in the distance.

"GET OUT OF THE WAY!"

You and Cheren both fly in opposite directions as two people come hurtling down the middle of Route 3. They pass you by, sunlight glinting off the distinctive chain-mail outfits they are wearing. Recognition dawns on you, but before you can mention this to Cheren, Bianca comes barreling into sight from the same direction, a little girl trailing at her skirts, dusty ostensibly because of the amount of hurrying Bianca seems to have done. It's obvious the two goings-on are connected, but in what way?

"Bianca?" Cheren calls out to her, "why are you running?"

She slides to an abrupt stop in front of you two, hands on her knees almost immediately as she doubles over, panting for breath. Never the athletic type, you decide to give her a minute to recover from the exhaustion before asking questions.

"Hey!"

She comes up with air sooner than expected—must be all the conditioning from the journey so far—and barks the following question to the both of you in general. "Where were those people headed? Which direction?"

"That way," he points, "but… why are you running now?" Cheren inquires, nonplussed over all the activity.

"Oh _seriously_!" You can sympathize with Bianca's impatience. Cheren is asking too many questions, and it's wasting a lot of time.

"They run so fast!" she bemoans as an afterthought.

"Miss?" the little girl has caught up, and she's tugging at the hem of Bianca's clothes, a timid expression on her face. "My Pokémon…?" She looks on the verge of tears, and suddenly you have the whole story without really being told. You have half a mind to go after the grunts right now, but after your battle, you're down a little in stamina and HP, and could really use the help from one of your friends to get back the girl's Pokémon.

"It'll be OK. Don't cry."

Bianca kneels down now, at eye level with the girl, and pats her on the back. The girl lurches forward, two stubby arms clasped around Bianca's neck, hugging tightly and wailing anyway, despite the words. You and Cheren shift on your feet in perfect tandem, uncomfortable with the display. None of you have ever spent much time with small children, and neither you or him are too sure how to deal with them, especially when they're sniveling.

Cheren decides to take the direct approach. It feels a little like overkill, but maybe she knows something you two don't. "Bianca, really, why were you running?"

She looks up from where she's being latched onto, and says, "You have to hear this. Those people stole this girl's Pokémon!"

"You should have spoken up sooner!"

You resist the urge to slap your forehead. Cheren should have figured this out on his own, you think, but when he tells Bianca you and he will go get the Pokemon back, you forget it. With your combined power, you should be fine against two lowlife Plasma grunts.

The race east to Wellspring Cave goes by in a flash. Before you know it, you've beaten one each, and now two have challenged you and Cheren to a double battle. The fire of justice is burning deep within you, and yet the reality is you're even more at a disadvantage after another battle. You hope your team has the strength it'll take for this one last push. Because you just _have_ to win.

And while the doubts make a home in your brain, Cheren turns to you in the dark of the cave, and grabs your hand. He gives it a quick squeeze, as if knowing your inner monologue, and adds some words of comfort.

"We've been friends our whole lives. We've got each other's back when it counts. Let's show them how it's done!"

You answer with a grin, and hold up the Pokéball in your other hand as if to say it's okay now. You believe in your team, you believe in Cheren, and with some encouragement, you even believe in you. You are going to get that Pokémon back, no question. And you're going to continue on your journey and do great things.

Because as cliché as it may be, with friends like these, you can't possibly fail, no matter how things go.


	2. From Nacrene City to Route 4

**.**

**.**

**.**

**IN NACRENE CITY**

**(** sentry mode **)**

"For now, all we need to do is protect the museum, right?' And without bothering to hear the response, Cheren was off, tearing up the walkway to the Gym with purpose in mind. You glanced at Bianca, searching for any reluctance. There was none.

She stared at you for a moment, smiled kindly, and then turned to follow Cheren. "Hey, wait for me!"

Any words of encouragement for you? There were none.

You were left to do your job solo this time, while your friends guarded the museum. She never even looked back at you on her way in.

But, it's okay. Bianca's always sort of followed after Cheren, like Cheren feels more on par with you, and you (kind of) lean on Bianca more than Cheren. Girls have to stick together, you know. You three are a perfect, lovely triangle of friendship - comparable to the elemental one of grass, fire and water. No one is left out, everyone has someone close. There's no room to worry about the bonds falling apart, because the three of you are solid.

In a way, you're glad there was no argument about who does what. It seems unlikely that the grunts would return to the scene of the crime, so Cheren and Bianca won't be in any sort of peril by guarding the museum. On the other hand though, you do have to wonder what it says about your personality that you worry about the risks for them, but push blindly through when it's just you. Is it recklessness, nobility... courage? Ugh, but there's no time for considering motivations and character traits just about now.

Burgh is way, way ahead of you already, and the Team Plasma loons, even more so. You better get a move on if you aim to get that skull back to Lenora before dusk...

**.**

**.**

**.**

**IN CASTELIA CITY**

**(** intimidate mode **)**

You make your first steps out of the guardhouse and onto Route 4. The sandstorm that is constantly brewing kicks up just in time for the sand to pound your face, and suddenly you find yourself craving a nice warm shower to pull the grime off that you know is building up as you stand there. You tentatively continue traveling on the newly-paved route, knowing that the concrete is a fleeting luxury. Said storm is the reason that only half of Route 4's road is paved, and from where the tread ends, there is nothing but hot sand waiting, the darker patches teeming with desert-hardened Pokémon.

You're alone.

And you're not happy. It's been a rough night so far, and while it is nice to finally escape the buzzing, crowded prison that is Castelia City, certain things stick with you and spoil your already dour mood.

You had arrived in the city around lunchtime after completing the arduous journey over Skyarrow Bridge on foot. After healing up your team at the Pokémon center, you'd gone up and down the main drags for a few hours, seeing all the sights, people-watching, and going to all the shops, including a quick stop for a Casteliacone on Mode Street. Everything had been fine till then. You were enjoying a new and intriguing place. But what you'd really come for was your third badge, and eventually you worked yourself into the right attitude to head for the Gym. So you did, only to have Cheren bump into you on his way out of the gym.

It wasn't surprising he'd gotten his badge first, considering you'd taken most of the afternoon off to play tourist. You chatted amicably with him for about a minute, but he was in no mood to lollygag, so he excused himself from the conversation and let you know that he was going on ahead. Knowing Cheren, that wasn't surprising to hear either—he liked to take on his goals with a fast paced approach. So with no reason holding you back now, you had turned back to the front doors of the Gym, only to be run into again!

This time it was Burgh, who was not someone you were fond of ever since Pinwheel Forest, where he decided he was going to protect the smaller route in the forest while you had to struggle through the more complicated path. The one with oodles of both Trainers and wild Pokémon. Just the way he'd told you to take that road—with a smile, no less—had grated on your nerves, and if he wasn't a Gym Leader in possession of the badge you wanted, you would have avoided him like the plague just because of that time. About the only upside to his laziness was that you leveled up a lot along the way, and so, it would be much easier to exact your revenge by winning the Insect Badge. Oh, _how_ you looked forward to that conquest.

But you were to be delayed another time this evening. With no explanation, Burgh asked you to come along with him to Prime Pier to investigate something. Seeing as how your Gym Badge had just walked off with him, you were inclined to follow.

And what familiar face should you see when you arrived there?

None other than Bianca, who ran at you with a tear-streaked face, and latched on with a hug. You nearly got the wind knocked out of you, but you managed to pat her back and whisper into one ear to ask what was wrong. The eyes of Burgh and another stranger watching you made you too nervous to speak louder than that. Bianca answered that her Munna had been taken from her just earlier by Team Plasma.

"Is there anything we can do?" she asked, pulling back just enough so that she could stare at you gaze-to-gaze. She said 'we,' but inexplicably, you knew she meant you.

You tried to look as confident as possible, but that was difficult when you were struggling with several feelings that were hitting you very hard right now. Firstly, you were protective of your friend, and all ready to tear the city apart until you recovered Munna for Bianca. Second, you were wondering if you even could. Bianca was no slouch Trainer, and if she couldn't…but you had always beaten her so maybe…but there was no way to be certain… And last, you were experiencing mild worry and paranoia. This Team Plasma seemed to be cropping up a little too often along your journey for your tastes. Not only were they getting in your way, but now it was affecting your friends as well, and that was unacceptable. You were starting to think they were targeting you, but that sounded silly, and now was not the time to ponder that.

It was time to do something about Munna.

"Oh," Bianca whined weakly, "Here I am, a Trainer, and I can't even protect my own Pokémon… I'm sorry." Her hands balled up into fists, gripping the back of your vest, and she hid her face in the crook of your neck like she never wanted to surface. Her own body shook with sobs, and it was all you could do to stand there and try to be comforting. You felt terrible for wishing that you two were in private, because this amount of emotion was not something you cared to be party to in front of strangers. You were too shy, and this situation was overwhelming.

"No fear-we will get that Pokémon back." Burgh stepped forward, putting a hand on Bianca's shoulder. She looked up, and her eyes said 'Really, please, you would' and you managed to un-entangle yourself from her in that second, and add in your own declaration. You would help, so Bianca shouldn't worry. The stranger, introduced to you as Iris, was going to stay with Bianca while you and Burgh went after whoever stole Munna, and get her back. Everything was settled.

Un-fortunately, retrieving Munna was just the first part of your depressing night. Fortunately, you were able to do so, and trainer and Pokémon were reunited. Also on the good side of the tab was your victory at the Castelia Gym, as you had anticipated. Bug Pokémon are cool looking, no one can argue that unless they have a bug phobia, but the type has many weaknesses to exploit, and sometimes not even artistry can cover those weak spots. You earned your third badge.

On your way out of the gym—apparently there were to be many road blocks tonight—you got a call on the Xtransceiver from Bianca. She requested a battle with you to be held at the guardhouse between Castelia City and Route 4. You accepted, of course, and so that was the next stop on your radar. You made good time, because by this hour of the night, most of the people were concentrated on the larger streets, so you were able to pick an offbeat route and make it through the city with ease.

.

.

"But before that..." Bianca quickly jogged over to the attendant's desk, and looked to be asking for the go-ahead. You realized you hadn't even considered that would be a good idea.

And you were bemused, and maybe a little embarrassed. You had been all but ready to battle there without thinking twice about asking for permission. Of course, looking back on the memories of other times you'd battled inside with Bianca, she was great to go ahead and ask if you were able to use the space.

"They said we can have a Pokémon battle in the gate as long as we're careful not to break the electric bulletin board."

And so you battled, and things were ever the same. At the end, Bianca could be found hanging her head and looking displeased with herself.

"I trained with Iris… But I still couldn't win…"

Then came the words that broke your heart a little to hear.

"I'll never be a strong Trainer like you or Cheren."

And you took a step forward, thinking to shake that idea out of her because it was so untrue, but she stopped you with one hand stuck out in your direction, telling you right away she didn't want you to do that. You meekly took a step back, and opened your mouth to speak, because if actions could not, maybe words would suffice. You wanted to tell her that she was a great trainer, and just because you lose one battle, it doesn't make you weak or useless, or anything even close to that description. You wanted to tell her that you, that _Cheren_ had all fought your own difficult battles, and lost a few now and then, and that neither you or him were infallible by any means. Most of all, you wanted to make her believe in herself again, because it wasn't just hurting her when she said things like that.

"Bianca-"

"No! Don't!" The outstretched hand pushed against the air, a signal to be quiet that you took for what it was. "Just uh, don't worry about it, 'kay? I'll be fine. I just need to work hard so that I can at least protect my Pokemon. This...what happened tonight... I won't let it happen again! I promise!" she declared, and you had a feeling it was meant more for her than it was meant for you. You hoped that you weren't wrong for letting her push you away. Growing up, Bianca seemed to bounce back better from things when she had her friends' support.

"I have to go now. Good luck on the way to Nimbasa... I do hope I see you again soon. Bye!"

She was gone, headed back towards Castelia. Back into that mess of a city. And you were in the gatehouse by yourself.

You used some Potion and the odd Full Heal to get your team back into fighting condition. You were starting to need the medicines less and less these days, as your Pokemon grew more and more resilient. Still, there was a desert ahead, and you wanted to be prepared. You were looking to catch some Pokemon out there, and there were Trainers along the route, so going out there at half-energy was not a smart way to travel.

At last, you were ready, which brings the story back to the present.

You make your first steps out of the guardhouse and onto Route 4. The sandstorm that is constantly brewing kicks up just in time for the sand to pound your face, and suddenly you find yourself craving a nice warm shower to pull the grime off that you know is building up as you stand there. You tentatively continue traveling on the newly-paved route, knowing that the concrete is a fleeting luxury. You're alone.

And you're not happy.

Because Bianca's not happy, and you're also somewhat tired. There's a voice nagging in your head that Cheren is probably already in Nimbasa by this point, and so you better get a move on so he doesn't get too far ahead of you. It's not really a race or a competition, but then again, it is. You can't help but want to be the first one to see a new place or thing, so you can be the one telling your friends about it. You're starting to come out of your shell more since you've been on this journey. You take pride in having stories to share.

But Cheren's already _gone on ahead._

So you think.

You take one last appraising view of what lay ahead of you, and in an instant, paused, one hand in front of you as if to reach out and touch, only, he was more than an arm's length away. _Oho, speak of the devil and he shall appear._

Standing there, paying no heed to the sandstorm whistling around you both, was Cheren. And he had one red-and-white Poke Ball in his hand, displaying it like it was on auction. He nodded your way, a expression of concentration on his bespectacled face.

You and he both knew all too well what came after that.

It was going to be one _very_ late night.


	3. From Nimbasa City to Twist Mountain

**.**

**.**

**.**

**IN NIMBASA CITY**

**(** independence mode **)**

"Come on! It's a little of this, and then a turn here, and yeah! That's the way!"

Bianca kicked up her feet in a pattern that you felt she was making difficult on purpose. You tried to copy it, but ended up feeling dizzy as your reward. The bright Nimbasa sunshine seemed to mock your efforts, but you were determined to have fun, and most of all, your pride made you get back up again every time you fell to give the dance routine another go.

Bianca and you were out front of the Musical Theater, having just been introduced to the concept of a Pokémon musical. She thought it wouldn't hurt if you and she practiced the routines you were expecting your Pokémon to learn, for solidarity's sake.

It was kind of fun too. Dancing all crazily like this reminded you of the sleepovers Bianca and you used to have as kids back in Nuvema Town. Staying up until 4 A.M., dancing on top of the bed to rock music like the Liepard Five or that exotic Sinnoh band, The Unhealthy Tangrowths…those were the good days, for sure! It was good to be reminded of them from time to time.

Bianca grabbed your hand, and the two of you did a spin, ending with striking a dramatic pose towards your nonexistent audience.

The theme of the performance was glamour, playing like your Pokémon were celebrities. You still weren't sure about entering the musical, but Bianca's enthusiasm for the event was starting to catch. She seemed in love with the idea, but then, that was Bianca. Not exactly _flighty_ , you'd say, but she had a new obsession every week, and absolutely _had_ to try everything at least once before passing judgment.

"OK, that's great. I think you got it—now let's see if Dewott can get it. I think he was born to be a star! Oh, how exciting this all i-DADDY?" she trailed off, her volume increasing about tenfold upon uttering the last syllables. You almost felt like a siren had just gone off, because you were left to defensively clutch at your ears, and face the direction Bianca had just screamed to.

"What are you doing here?"

Your first thought about this new development was…oh, crap. Because if her father had had his way, Bianca would have never left on a journey. In fact, she all but ran away to pursue this adventure with you and Cheren; her mother supported her, and so she wasn't a runaway in the literal sense of the word. Him showing up here, now-it could only mean more trouble. Unlike the various other problems you'd encountered during your journey so far though, this one you could do nothing to solve. Bianca was still technically a minor, and her father could order her home if it pleased him. Your opinion wouldn't make an impact.

"I've come to take you back home, of course! Your mother told me that you'd made it all the way out here. Haven't you gone far enough?"

Bianca seemed momentarily rooted to the spot, and you feared for her. But then, she struck back.

"No way! I'm going to keep traveling with my friends and my Pokémon!"

You could see her father's face start to get a little purple with anger. He had to be just as surprised as you were right now. Bianca never talked back to either of her parents, at least not in your memory. Half of you couldn't blame him for reacting, but the other half concealed a draw of vindictive pleasure under a blank stare as you watched the scene unfold.

"Absolutely not! Others do things their way, and we do things ours!"

"Is that so? Then, how about you do things your way, and I'll do things mine!" She had both hands on her hips, and she leaned head-first into the space between her and her father, body language telling the tale. She was set on this, and nothing he said was going to compromise her dreams or how she'd carry them out.

You watched her, momentarily awed. _Oh, Bianca_.

It was so unlike anything in the past, because this was all so new. It was a 180 from the other day, outside Castelia City, where you'd been concerned she would give up on this journey for lack of self-esteem. Where had she found this new strength of will? Oh, but it didn't matter. You were just proud of her, proud of your best friend. The guts it took to stand up to an imposing person like her father, you could hardly fathom. There was no need to step in; Bianca didn't need to rely on anyone but herself anymore, and that was a relief to you, and probably her as well. She was maturing more each and every day.

"Sweetie, you keep going on your travels."

A chic-looking blond woman was sauntering your way, her feline eyes fixed on Bianca. There was a secretive little smile playing at the corner of her lips, like somehow, she'd been here before. You wondered-what was in her past, who she was, and why she was interrupting now. Bianca's dad seemed to wonder the latter question as well, given his initial response to the woman's words, barked out in an indignant tone that you thought was rude.

"Hey! Who do you think you are? This is a family matter!"

"My name is Elesa. I'm this town's Gym Leader. I also happen to be a model." You would buy that; she had a certain flair in the way she dressed and carried herself that screamed self-importance. You watched as she drew up even with the feuding relatives, and began again, "You know, there are many people in this world. There are people whose way of thinking may be completely different from yours. Sometimes, this means you may get hurt."

"Of course! That's exactly right! It's because I'm worried about that…"

Elesa put one finger against her mouth, a signal for the man to listen. " _But,_ it's important to keep trying, to learn about the differences between yourself and others… To learn that being different is OK." She paused, and then tried another line of reasoning, "And you shouldn't worry. Trainers always have Pokémon at their side. Pokémon are wonderful. It's not only how cute they can be, but also how much you can depend on them…"

Bianca, who had looked this whole time like she was soaking Elesa's words in, suddenly broke her silence, and looked her father straight in the eye.

"Please Dad! I know there's gonna be painful stuff like you're worrying about! I know! Really, I get it! But, like, listen… There'll be tons of nice people, too." Her green eyes were starting to fill with tears, and your heart wrenched in tandem with hers, praying silently that she was able to get through to him. "Know what else? Since I've been traveling with Pokémon, I've already gotten tougher, I can totally tell. So… please?"

The silence lingered in the air like fog, clouding the moment. No one was particularly sure which way this encounter would go, least of all you. Still, there was the calm of knowing that whatever _did_ happen, Bianca gave it her best, and that was all anyone could ask of her. You slung one arm around your best friend, grabbing her hand with your free one. Whatever did happen, you were incredibly proud of her, and nothing could change that.

Your smile said "It'll be OK" and you gave her hand a reassuring squeeze for good measure. That he was even taking the time to consider her plea; that gave you hope. Oh, and the change of expression on his face, the break in the frown lines, that made you believe it could happen! _Please say yes_.

"Hmm… I guess. If wanting to continue your journey is selfishness on your part, wanting to stop you is selfishness on mine. I'm surprised to find I'm the one being childish—at my age!" He chuckled deprecatingly to himself, "This Gym Leader's comments helped me wake up. Bianca, I'm sure it's better that you take the path you want to take now. I hope that your journey will be fun. Bon voyage!"

It was a good thing you had a hold on Bianca right then, because she about fainted in your arms from the heady cocktail that is mingling bliss and shock. You steadied her on her feet, and helped her stay upright. And a second later, you were mauled by flailing limbs crushing you into a proper hug, and excited squealing in your ear. Now _that_ is the Bianca you grew up with. You happily celebrated with her in the middle of the Nimbasa street, rejoicing in the fact that now Bianca didn't have to worry about anything but taking in her journey anymore. And that would mean a lot.

Over her shoulder, you watched her father, standing there awkwardly as if unsure how to top off his visit. When he caught you looking, he forced a sad smile, and in it, you saw all you needed to get a sense of what it _really_ took for a parent to let their child go. And yet, he looked lighter, younger now that he had. The main bone of contention between him and his daughter was gone, and that had to be the source of his rejuvenation. He caught you eyeing him, and he asked just one thing of you.

"Please… Take care of my little girl, OK?"

You smiled. Of course you would. You always had, and always would, till the end of time. What are best friends for?

He turned to go, his gait neither quick nor slow. The sort of walk for one who must leave, but would rather stay. Bianca disentangled herself from you, and then called out after him.

"Papa, I'll come home after I find out what I really want to do!"

He turned, and gave Bianca a real smile. In it, you saw only love.

**.**

**.**

**.**

**NEAR TWIST MOUNTAIN**

**(** honesty mode **)**

"But what is it to be truly strong?"

You don't answer, instead taking the pause to return your Pokémon. Knowing Cheren, it was a rhetorical question, and your input wouldn't help him anyway. Still, the urge tugs at you to speak up, though it wouldn't be to answer.

Strength has been a constant theme with Cheren lately. Every time you meet and battle, it's always on his mind. Strength this, and strength that. Instead of being annoyed by the repetition, you're concerned.

"That was a fine Pokémon battle! I'm happy to see you are both growing as Trainers!"

You and Cheren both turn to watch as a man with flame-like orange hair leaps off the nearest ledge, landing safely at the bottom right in front of you. He is smiling as if watching you fight has literally made his day. The feeling is infectious. You can't help but forget your concern, just for that second. Cheren greets the man as Alder, and then, just as quickly as the joy appeared, it went. Apparently at least one of you three wasn't so inclined to good feelings.

Cheren took a step forward, and he was shaking his head. "I'm weak, so I lost!" He hung his head momentarily, but then snapped it right up again to glare at the older man for whom he seemed to be harboring some grudge, ever since the first time they met, and Cheren thought Alder wasn't acting how a Champion should act. "…And honestly, it bothers me when you call it a fine battle despite that."

The disapproval was clear.

You are stunned. Even in the past few weeks, Cheren has _never_ been this…cold. Maybe he was holding back because you are his friend, or maybe he's just reached this breaking point and snapped, but either way, it catches both you and Alder off-guard. You bite down on your lip, and suppress the feeling of being embarrassed for both you and Cheren. Acting that way, to the Champion no less! You can hardly believe this is happening. What happened to your best friend? You feel tricked.

"Oh _honestly_ , Cheren." Alder deliberately throws the word back in the young man's face to teach him a lesson. "Just accept the compliment without the stinging remark. I've asked you this before, but what do you plan to do after becoming strong?"

"If I get strong and become a Champion, that will be the reason for my existence. I want to prove that I'm really living."

You try to convey to Alder with your expression that you're sorry. He hasn't _always_ been like this. On your own, you feel like getting worked up. Where is the Cheren you're so familiar with? What happened to make him so…obsessed with this new ideal? Will you ever get him back, or is this the new reality? Change is not a friend of yours.

Your brain starts to work overtime as you panic over this sudden scene, this utter change of attitude in the boy you've thought you knew. You weren't ready to be introduced to the young man whose ideals are so locked-into his stubborn mind that there's no room for the old courtesy and open-minded-ness that had been Cheren's signature for your entire time of knowing him. You wondered if you should have expected this attitude to surface, after all, you had noticed his fixation on strength lately. Could you have done anything to prevent his actions if you knew he was going to get this wretched? You weren't too sure.

You have amazing friends. That's chiefly why you fear change to begin with. It's some kind of wonderful to see them growing up right along with you—you're all questioning who you are, what's next, etcetera, but at the same time, things are also changing in all three of you. Buried or underdeveloped personality traits are starting to surface, or certain ones are disappearing into the background. With each time you see either of your rivals, there's something new to learn about the people you always knew thought you knew so well.

It's a fact that you want to delight you, but instead it just unnerves. It's not something that comes up often, but you secretly have difficulty with making friends. You don't speak often, and that weirds most folks out from the beginning. Then there's the part where you are painfully shy. Even if things go well with someone, you don't have the confidence in yourself to pursue it, to cement the bonds of a new friendship. Cheren and Bianca are all you truly have, and for them to be changing on you now-well, let's just say you worry.

Because it's also a fact that you need them. Without them in your life, you don't even know where you'd be today. You might never have decided to get a Pokémon and go out on a journey, and that would've been a real loss. Training is one area where you've found you can stand out, and other people notice you for it (for better, or for worse, in N's case). It's changed you for the better. You still might not be (and might not ever be) particularly loquacious, but you've noticed it's become less frightening for you to speak to new people, because Pokémon is such an easy topic to break into. It's non-threatening, and you have your friends to thank for setting this self-discovery into motion.

Finally, and you're most hesitant about thinking it, but you think you might even love them a little. It's hard to tell, but your feelings border somewhere between the familial love you have for your mother, and the way you (briefly) thought you felt about N, before he revealed his true identity. It's sort of insignificant, though. You're convinced Bianca and Cheren are going to end up together, and you feel silly for thinking any of this. You're probably just confusing love for a really strong friendship.

You've never been too good at deciphering feelings, anyway, but it was something that crossed your mind.

Right now, you hope Cheren will figure out what strength really is soon, and that when he does, nothing will have changed. Because with the future set to go in the direction it seems to be heading since you've been "chosen" by N, you'll need every friend you can get.

Alder seems to sigh as he prepares to respond to the declaration.

With New Cheren, you have to admit, reasoning does seem futile.


	4. Icirrus City

**.**

**.**

**.**

**IN ICIRRUS CITY**

**(** sweet and sour mode **)**

You loved your best friends, you truly did, but they seemed to pick the most _inconvenient_ times to bump into you along your journey. Sure, you could chalk it up to the fact that you were all haunting the same areas for training, and each city's Gym for badge-collecting, and thus were bound to meet up sometimes, but when you were tired after a difficult battle, it was hard to be open-minded. The Icirrus Gym had proved tricky; you didn't really have any good type advantages on your team, which had made it a rough go of things. In the end though, your team found victory, and you were seven badges strong. That meant there was only one left to go. The realization of this fact left you both sweet and sour.

If this had been a normal journey, with no external pressures, you would be euphoric over being so close to entering the Pokémon League. As things really were, though, you were feeling mostly glum. You just couldn't get the memory of N out of your head, telling you that you _had_ to win all the badges in order to even come close to stopping him. That had been another tough day.

Many weeks ago, you'd liked N. You had been stupid enough to think you even could grow to _love_ him, and not in the friendly way. In the let's-go-out-to-dinner way. You were naïve, hopeful, and perhaps it's because you were mildly desperate. You'd never had a boyfriend before—Cheren was the only boy around your age in Nuvema, and you couldn't date _him_. It would be weird, and you knew Bianca liked him, so that would be mean to steal him from her (even if she wouldn't admit to her crush). You wanted to know what love felt like, and back then, N had seemed a good candidate. He was gentle, non-threatening, and clearly, he liked Pokémon too—ever since becoming a Trainer, you knew Pokémon would always be a part of your life. You didn't think he would ever hurt you, and he was good looking, so he was a safe choice.

But then Nimbasa happened, and everything had to change.

You found out who N really was. He wasn't as friendly from there on out, and he had threatened to change your whole way of living just because he believed in his ideals. Now, he seemed more like a lunatic than a potential boyfriend. The dream was torn asunder, and your heart more than a little wounded from the disillusionment of it all. You told yourself you would never trust again. And so far, apart from your friends, you hadn't. Where you had been coming out of your shell as far as ridding yourself of shyness, you took two steps backwards. You probably should have known there would be people like that in the world, but your first personal encounter with one was staggering.

On the other hand, seven badges meant you were getting strong enough to the point where you _could_ challenge N, and protect the bond between people and Pokémon. So, there was the good, and the bad. But back to your friends. Not one, but both of them had greeted you outside the Icirrus Gym, and as you had come to expect lately, Cheren had something to say about strength. You wondered if Bianca was as concerned as you were about that.

"Have I really become stronger? Or is it just my Pokémon that have?" He looked very serious in that moment, pinching the bridge of his glasses in between his thumb and index finger. He glanced distractedly at both you and Bianca, and then something broke in his expression. He hung his head to conceal his face, and blurted out "I don't know anymore!" You knew he was desperately trying not to get more emotional than he was already; Cheren, even though growing up with two girls as friends, was no more inclined to be frank about his feelings than any other male.

Bianca rushed to stand a bit closer, and patted his back consolingly. "Hey, hey. Cheer up, Cheren! You're incredibly strong, so don't even go down that road! …Isn't it nice to see everyone? We haven't all been in the same place for a while, huh?" She winked over his shoulder at you, and you caught the gist. Bianca was thinking exactly what you were thinking about Cheren's new fixation. You smiled, and added in a comment about how you were sure Cheren would wipe the floor with Brycen, and didn't he know how hard of a gym it was? You wouldn't say something like that if you didn't think he was strong enough to make it come true.

This seemed to rouse Cheren a bit, and after ample time to pull himself together, he was able to look at "his girls" again and actually seem OK. You were delighted, because you sensed an end to the tyranny of strength over his already remarkable spirit. If not today, it had to be soon. You were even considering going in to watch his Gym challenge-for moral support-because you thought it'd seal the deal. Only then, who should also appear out of the Gym, in a tizzy? Brycen.

Not even sparing a glance for any of you three teens, the Leader surveyed the area all around where you were standing, seeming mightily suspicious about something.

"Who are you? I know you are there!" He narrowed his eyes, searching for something that didn't appear to be there. The three of you watched in puzzlement, and his paranoia was catching, until, suddenly, you thought of something. You pulled both your friends close to you by the arm, all huddled together there in the middle of Icirrus City. This felt eerily like some other times there had been things no one could see.

"Why don't you show yourselves?" Brycen called out, voice ringing with determination. You kept one hand pinched on Bianca's shirt sleeve, and the other on the first Poké ball hooked to your belt. You hated to get into a confrontation on subpar health, but desperate times called for desperate measures. If they were really looking for a fight, you felt confident that Cheren and Bianca would jump in to your aide. And having a Gym Leader a few feet away didn't hurt matters, either.

"Impressive, Gym Leader of Icirrus City. We, the Shadow Triad, are beings of the shadows… and not easily noticed."

Three men dressed resembling ninja materialized into view, and as you'd suspected they would be, they were stationed on either side of where you were, the third facing you directly.

"Our mission was only to speak to the girl, but so be it." The one in the forefront stared unblinkingly into your eyes. "Ghetsis has a message for you: come to Dragonspiral Tower. It is there that our lord N waits for you." He made a quick study of the area to see that no one else had noticed their presence. "…Now our mission is complete."

And as smoothly as they'd come, they vanished to who-knows-where. If anything, you had to say they were efficient. Too efficient, honestly. It was creepy to think they could be watching you this whole time and you hadn't even had an inkling they were there. But that wasn't what was bothering you most at this moment in time. It was the message they'd passed on that was pressing.

You briefly recalled the legend of the Dragonspiral Tower as told to you by Cedric Juniper, and suddenly it clicked exactly what this all meant. _Oh crap_.

As if you weren't already facing terrible odds, the challenge had just increased. Now not only did you have to get your last badge, defeat the head of a criminal organization who was a more-than-capable Trainer, probably along with a fleet of grunts, but your foe could now claim a _Legendary Pokémon_ among his team of six. There could be only one reason for N to be at Dragonspiral Tower, and that was if he was trying to resurrect Reshiram. And based on what you knew about Ghetsis, who apparently this summons came from, he wouldn't be asking you to show up unless he knew N had succeed in obtaining Reshiram. No, Ghetsis wasn't the type to bluff. Lie, certainly, but not bluff. N had to have the white dragon in his possession, and it was all _too soon_.

You weren't ready. You weren't nearly ready, and you didn't think you'd ever be ready for facing up to an ancient Pokémon like Reshiram. And you only had the power of seven badges. That wasn't even enough to get in the League. _This can't be happening, not right now._

"Dragonspiral Tower? What's going on? … Young man!" Brycen stabbed his index finger in Cheren's direction. "If you're here for a Gym challenge, you'll have to wait. I've got to head to Dragonspiral Tower!"

Cheren glanced at you, and you knew before the words left his mouth what he was thinking.

"I'm going, too. Dragonspiral Tower is to the north of here, right?"

You confirmed the direction with a nod, but then you lost your composure entirely. You were all ready to tell Cheren _no, don't go there_ , but this friend thing works both ways. He cut you off before you could make your case, with a hand on your shoulder, and a reassuring smile. "You know we're in this together! It's like I told you a long time ago—we'll always have each other's backs. And, I'd say you may need some assistance in this matter, right?"

You nodded again, even while tearing up, unable to say anything out loud. What had you ever done to deserve friends like him or Bianca? Oh, but you were grateful. They both meant so much to you… that's why you were worried at a time like this, when so much trouble was going on. Someone could get seriously hurt, and as much as you loved that they were willing to make those sacrifices along with you, there was a sort of painful guilt. If they weren't your friends, they never would have been dragged into this. Bianca wouldn't have had her Pokémon stolen that one time, Cheren wouldn't have to help you out of the many tight spots you'd found yourself in along the journey… they would have been able to have an ordinary, eminently safer adventure as Trainers.

"Then it's settled. You should heal up first, but then I'll see you there! And don't worry about me, I'm more than an even match for any Plasma Grunt, and that's the _honest_ truth." Cheren smirked complacently as he said that, and it made you want to laugh despite your fears. It was conceited, maybe, but it was definitely true. Grunts couldn't really compare.

And when Cheren left, it was just you and an unnaturally silent Bianca, who looked utterly discombobulated about the whole situation. She was staring at the ground, the dirt and patchy grass dusted over with frost, and she looked to be thinking very hard about something. You decided to let her have a think, and instead dropped to your knees and started digging around in your bag for Potion and Revives. Pokémon Centers were great, and there was one in the city, but in a time-constraint like this, medical supplies that you applied yourself were the way to go. The Center was always very crowded, and you couldn't afford to be waiting around for an hour for your Pokémon to get revitalized by machine. So you planned on taking care of it right here, right now.

"Whoa. I just… w-what should I do?"

You _hmm_ -ed in her direction, distracted by the many pockets and trying to recall where you'd stored the medicines last time you'd bought some.

"… I think… F-for now, I have to go to Dragonspiral Tower… OK! I'm heading north. Please hurry!"

You didn't even look up to see her leave, fully satisfied that you'd catch up with her later. For now, your mind was somewhere else, a whole 'nother dimension where you imagined the myriad strategies, and just how you'd take on the challenge ahead of you. There was no doubt you were afraid of what lay ahead, but like you had been doing for the past few months, you would just have to do the best you could.

Ordinary girl, extraordinary circumstances.


	5. Dragonspiral Tower

**.**

**.**

**.**

**DRAGONSPIRAL TOWER**

**(** disappointment mode **)**

You tugged at the strap of your bag, holding it against your body in a vice grip. Your hands were shaking and seething with barely controlled emotion, like the rest of your being. Contrary to your innermost thoughts, you continued walking towards the next horizon, onward towards Icirrus so you could heal up before going to the Relic Castle. Your priorities, for one of the first times in your life, were locked in a precise order that you wouldn't dare deviate from. You had to win the last badge, somehow resurrect the legendary Zekrom, and then face off against N and the rest of his "subjects." It presented itself as a little more of a challenge than your average to-do list.

But... it was hard to concentrate. It didn't come easy because you knew it's what you had to do. You were human, too. You had feelings to contend with; anger, fear, sadness, anxiety, and small bursts of comfort to keep you just sane enough to survive. Today's events had only stirred them up more than usual, and in some cases, amplified them. Your dread had gone up in droves, specifically.

N had awakened Reshiram, as you suspected he had, and that meant the deadline for your ultimate battle was nearing.

You couldn't count on the time at all. You desperately _wanted_ to believe that N was honorable enough for who he was to wait on you to make your best preparations, check things off your list so that you could face him on more level footing. But you could not. You only half understood his nature. Your greatest drive in worrying about it though, was not N at all.

But Ghetsis. The supposed Sage, and spokesman of Team Plasma.

Being a quiet person had its trade-offs. Silent so much of the time yourself, you developed the ability to be observant. You'd been told before that you were a good judge of character, and based on your assessment of Ghetsis, he was eminently more worrying. There had been times, in Castelia City, notably, that he had slipped up. Just barely. He had always been quick to correct himself, but you had noticed.

When you had been on the quest to recover Munna for Bianca, and the four of you - B, Iris, Burgh, and yourself - had been face to face with Team Plasma, Ghetsis had taken the time to lecture you about the team's vision for the world. He had grown so engrossed in what he was saying that perhaps he was not as careful as other times.

_"We shall bring back the hero and that Pokémon to Unova once again! If we can win people's hearts and minds, we can easily create the world that I—I mean, Team Plasma—desires!"_

The words had stuck with you, and you'd been sitting on them this long. It was about time you came to a conclusion, and it was this. N had told you he was the boss of this organization, but you ultimately couldn't reconcile him with that role. He just wasn't ambitious enough, nor "solid" enough to be in a leadership role. He had the presence of someone special, but a real leader needed a bit of cutthroated-ness to excel. He did not have this trait. He had his moments of being overbearing about his views, but those were the _only_ real times you saw that edge to him. Otherwise, he was... harmless. Harmless as that boy could be, anyway.

No, it didn't make sense at all.

You were starting to suspect more and more that the true maestro was Ghetsis. And given that he _was_ cutthroat and ambitious, he was really the one you couldn't expect to hold to a time line. He wouldn't put his plans on hold for anyone.

If Alder wasn't able to hold off N when they came to clash, you were next in the succession as far as battling.

The reality left you in an awkward state of limbo. You were waiting for the other shoe to drop, but at the same time you hoped it wouldn't be any time soon. There was so much more you had to do, so much more nerve to gain before you thought you could even possibly...

To make matters worse, your support system was cracked.

You had arrived there, about as composed as you could be, knowing what lay ahead of you in that tower. The smashed-in wall at the base of the looming building spoke volumes about the situation before you ever caught up with Cedric Juniper, or Bianca, and were given the full debriefing. To your surprise, and mild bewilderment, the two seemed quite chatty and cordial, given the situation.

It was her first time encountering him, and like any other given day, Bianca was enthusiastic about it. Her smile was genuine, and there was a great deal of pep to her tone as she introduced herself. "Nice to meet you, professor! Thanks to (the other) Professor Juniper, I got to go on a journey and start figuring out possibilities for my life. I'm very, very grateful to her!"

"Is that right? Grand, grand." Cedric looked trouble for a moment, and then launched onto a subject change with as much aplomb as he could. "Actually, we should chat later. Girls, here's the situation. Some members of Team Plasma—quite a large group—broke through the tower wall and went inside. Brycen and that young man—I believe his name is Cheren—the two of them went after Team Plasma, but…" he trailed off his sentence dramatically, leaving room for interpretation. You yourself were caught between your impatience to get inside and get going, and the need to see if he had more information to offer you that could be helpful.

"Professor, what's the Dragonspiral Tower?"

"Ha! I guess you would be curious. Well, I'll explain briefly."

"Dragonspiral Tower has stood tall since long before Unova was founded. On the top floor, the legendary Dragon-type Pokemon waits for a person seeking truth to appear… That's what is said. Are you two going to go after Team Plasma like your friend did? It's admirable of you girls to join the fight against Team Plasma, but it's risky, too."

"Don't worry!" Bianca jumped in to reply, waving her hands dismissively at his worries.

"Her and Cheren are both really, really strong, and they've beaten Team Plasma before." She hung her head, appearing ashamed of something. "But…I'm not all that strong, actually. I admit it. I'm not very strong, so I was thinking… It would be nice if, maybe, I could… Stay here and be your bodyguard?"

She was twisting one hand in the other, wan with fear. You could see it plain upon her face, and had you not been so mad about her words, you would've been more sympathetic. There had always been a part of you that had been protective over Bianca, because she seemed so carefree, less than cautious, and vulnerable. That part had changed over your journeying though. Because there had been times, namely in Nimbasa, when Bianca had confidently asserted herself, and shown real strength.

What had happened to that?

That was the main drive for why you were so upset.

You felt like tearing your hair out at this point. You didn't want her to get hurt, no, never, but ugh. It might be selfish, probably was, but you had hoped she would join you in this quest. Cheren was already inside, battling for-no, _with_ you. The gym leader had also gone in; there were people in there, supporting the cause. Bianca was your best friend, and so you had assumed she would come as well, because you were supposed to be in it together. Like a petulant child, you were nearly driven to stamp your feet and whine about it, but you couldn't. You were the one, and so you needed to get into the fray immediately, and do what you could to prevent what seemed inevitable; the breaking up of people and Pokemon. You would forever think of yourself as a coward if you gave up now.

The problem was, you were scared. Courage is not the absence of fear, but as wise men say, the willpower to combat the situation regardless of fear. Bianca could see your face right now, you were standing not even three feet away from her… why couldn't she come? Why couldn't she even say something, for Arceus' sake?

Opposite to you, Cedric seemed willing to go along with Bianca, and had an air about him of understanding. You thought to yourself rather darkly that if he were in your shoes he wouldn't have the same patience. He smiled evenly at the blonde, and accepted her offer. "Why thank you!" he began, "That makes me feel much safer." His voice was rich and warm, like a security blanket for B to hide in. It almost hurt you more to watch, so you looked away for a moment, only to be addressed the next moment.

"Well! It's up to you, so climb the tower!"

You didn't feel bad at all for trudging off angrily without saying a word. Not at all.

In hindsight, maybe he meant to make you angry. Because in a twisted way, it motivated you to forget your fear, and take on the mountain waiting for you. If things went well when all was said and done, you might even thank him for it.

Maybe.

.

.

.

Of course, even after you had run the gauntlet of Dragonspiral Tower, there was more frustration yet to be felt.

.

.

.

"If I remember the myth, Reshiram's fiery breath, along with the other Pokemon, devastated ancient Unova in an instant. Even knowing that, N is still wanting to awaken the other?" Alder seemed as if he could barely grasp the idea of it. His brow as furrowed in concentration, and you hoped for everyone's sake that he was having better inspiration than you as far as ideas went.

"H-huh? Isn't it dangerous to bring back a Pokémon that powerful?" Bianca stammered, her eyes gone all wide in the moment.

The Champion turned his gaze on her, and his expression softened.

"Miss, you are a very kind person."

"Still, I don't know if other Pokemon will be able to stand up to it. Because, no matter what, it is a legendary being… I don't like the idea of taking orders from N, but searching for the dragon—the stone—might not be a bad plan. We certainly can't let Team Plasma reawaken both of them! Since I've traveled all over Unova, I have an idea of where it might be..."

"Let's head to the Relic Castle. Everyone, I'm going!"

"I see. We'll leave that to you." Cedric looked nonplussed, and you couldn't blame him. This situation was slowly turning into a nightmare, and everyone couldn't hope but feel helpless at how it was unraveling. "I'm going to investigate inside the tower. Hopefully, I'll find something."

Brycen, who had been more or less silent the whole time, jumped in. "Then, I will go with you."

The two men hurried off, back towards the ruined tower. You didn't say anything, but thought to yourself that it was probably a futile gesture. What had once been there to offer, Reshiram, was now in N's custody. There couldn't be anything more to find. Quite the opposite, Alder bustled off back towards the city, probably to find a place to use Fly from. The pathway here was too narrow for that to be done safely, and this was no time for amateur mistakes.

"I think I understand better now. Being able to do something for Pokemon—for somebody at a time like this—is strength… I'm sure of it. And my strength is something that is given to me by Pokemon. OK, Champion, let's hurry!"

You were so caught up in the proceedings that you barely gathered what Cheren had admitted to before he too was gone. Everyone was rushing off, and you were shocked into stillness, trying to decide what your next move was. Apparently Bianca was about in the same place as you. In your mind, this was her chance to get involved, but no.

Only more disappointment.

"This has turned into a big deal. So confusing… I dunno what to do… Are you going to the Relic Castle?"

You nodded your head dumbly, eyes focused at the patchwork grass and frost under your feet. Inside of your head, thoughts whirred and emotions flared, bouncing around from not being voiced. Your heart had sunken about as low as you had ever felt it. You were honestly, completely disappointed in Bianca right now. She had let you down in your time of need, and you raged when you considered you had always been there when she'd needed you. Hadn't it been you that had gone with Cheren to track down the Pokemon on Route 3 when Bianca was comforting the little girl who trained it? Hadn't it been you that had gotten back Bianca's Munna when it had been taken from her? You who had been at her side when her dad tried to drag her home in Nimbasa? You felt like there had been so many occasions not only on this journey, but over the years when you had been there for B. It was agonizing that she wouldn't even try to repay the favor.

Instead she just stood there, undecided, and unhelpful, and oblivious to your feelings. It was a harsh blow for you. But you wouldn't lose it here, not now. There were things to be attending to post-haste, and so this wasn't the time to spill your guts. That would have to come later.

"What's wrong?" Bianca's green eyes were surveying you, having just keyed in to notice there might be something amiss.

"Please tell me, I can help!" She walked over, and put her hand on your arm, and tried to make eye contact with you. You refused the gesture, wordlessly pushing her away with one hand. The arm that had been touched lay at your side, rigid. Being comforted was the last thing you wanted while you were in this temper. You couldn't barely help what you said next, because it had been building up inside you for the past few hours.

"No, you can't." The words dropped from your mouth, thick and acidic, designed to inflict as much venom as you were feeling.

"Just leave me alone, Bianca, I have to go now. Bye."

You turned and fled, feeling oddly dissatisfied for how you'd projected you'd feel after saying that. You felt the strains of guilt playing you like a fiddle, and it only made you the more angry. You had a _right_ to feel this way. Just because she was your best friend didn't mean you had to sugarcoat everything every single day of your life. You wanted to be angry, so you were. That was your truth right now.

You tugged at the strap of your bag, holding it against your body in a vice grip. Your hands were shaking and seething with barely controlled emotion, like the rest of your being. Contrary to your innermost thoughts, you continued walking towards the next horizon, onward towards Icirrus so you could heal up before going to the Relic Castle.

Like it or not, there was nowhere else to go but forward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to rewrite this a couple times to get the layout how I wanted it. I'm still unsure of it. I was nervous, because up until now, I had been able to avoid having the player character speak. I hope you guys are finding it okay now that she is becoming verbal in the story. It's at that point in the plot where I couldn't tiptoe around it any more.


	6. From Tubeline Bridge to Route 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note - strings of italics are a flashback

**.**

**.**

**.**

**ON TUBELINE BRIDGE**

**(** heartfelt mode **)**

"As I've been traveling, lately I've been thinking about things. Things like what I can do with my life, and what I want to do, but..." she trailed off uncertainly, as if it had not come out the right way. Next, she tried a different tack instead, her voice down to a sigh of a tone that displayed all the emotion she seemed to be suppressing.

"I'm thinking how cool it would be to be a model like Elesa. And then, how cool it would be to do research on Pokemon like Professor Juniper… If that's what I want to do, I'm gonna have to know a lot about Pokemon." Her voice and body language told you without doubt that she didn't think she could accomplish it. This saddened you.

 _"Poor Bianca..."_ the memory echoed in your head from long ago, as you hastily recalled it, though doing so was not something you desired.

"Sooooo…would you please battle me?"

_It had been in Chargestone Cave, when you had been dragged to N by the Shadow Triad because he wished to speak to you. You recalled that he had been standing near one of the natural crystal formations in the cave, admiring its structure. The bright blue fluorescent light had contrasted with his skin, giving him an eerie glow._

Paying little attention, you sent out your Krookodile to face Bianca's Musharna. Krookodile bared its fangs and roared, slashing the air with one of its three-prong claws to intimidate its opponent. The Drowsing Pokemon widened its black eyes, but held its ground, shivering only slightly in mid-air. Behind it, Bianca was spazzing out, as per usual.

"Oh! Oh! This is baddddd!" she wailed, only coming to a halt when her Pokemon turned its head back to give her a look, as if it say, "It's okay."

"No, no. That's wrong. Musharna, we can definitely do it! We'll work extra hard!"

_He had turned to greet you like a friend, with a smile and a casual air. As soon as he did, the three ninjas had gone, vanished into whatever side universe they hailed from originally. You were wary to relax now, figuring they had been watching you the whole time. Overall, you were on high alert. The last time you had seen N was in Nimbasa, where he tore your good feelings towards him apart when he'd revealed he was a villain. You did not do well with confrontation. If you didn't get on with a person, you preferred to avoid them. In this case, that clearly wasn't an option. If you ran, you were wagering that you'd be brought right back here in record time by his friends the Triad._

Now, what move to start off with? The first move was important. Cheren had taught you and Bianca both that a long time ago, and it's one tidbit of advice you'd always adhered to, no matter how many badges you had earned, or battles you had fought since then.

Foul Play was no good. Musharna's defensive stats were its strength, not attack. In which case, Crunch would do the trick, and if you were lucky, it might even lower the Psychic-type's defense. Yes, that would have to do.

"Krookodile, use Crunch on Musharna!"

The Intimidation Pokemon barreled forward, albeit slowly, but with purposeful movements. It latched onto one of Musharna's hind legs, trapping it even while it tried to dodge the attack. Krookodile had learned from too many previous battles that if it aimed for the front, that made it a sitting target for Musharna's Hypnosis move. You watched, somewhat detached. So many things were on your mind.

_"Chargestone Cave… I like this place." He pressed one hand to the crystal fondly, watching as small ripples of static bounced off his hand. He seemed to not even feel it, and it made you curious. You yourself were too unsure to want to test out the theory. Alas, it wasn't time for exploration. He had more to say to you._

_"Formulas express electricity and its connection to Pokemon… If people did not exist, this would be an ideal place."_

_You kept your face as neutral as possible. You felt it was clearly a lost cause to explain the flaw in his logic. If there were no people, then, even he wouldn't be alive. And maybe that didn't hit him as hard as it would hit other people, but to you, it mattered. You enjoyed life, however strange it had gotten in the past few months, and you couldn't wrap your mind around a world that wasn't exactly like how it was now. With both people and Pokemon, together on the planet._

_N had always been a different sort of person, though._

_He stepped away from the wall, and towards you. He smiled again, and then his tone went more serious._

_"You have been chosen, you know."_

_Chosen for what, exactly? You considered the possibilities. This was back when Reshiram was still a bit of a pipe dream for him, and it was easier for you to dismiss his threats, sure that he'd never be able to carry them out. Resurrect a legendary dragon, for instance? Pure fantasy! Looking back on it, you were stupid to do so. Whatever was going on with N, he had an unstoppable will, and if anyone could have, it was always going to be him. You knew him better than to dismiss it right away. The truth was, you just hadn't wanted to believe it possible._

_"Does it surprise you I said that?"_

_You responded affirmatively, using the same patient tones you reserved for N at other times._

_"Of course. Such news should be a surprise," he agreed with you, magnanimous as always. But he paused before his next uttering, and you wondered if even he realized how it made things sound._

_"I told Ghetsis about you and your friends. After I did, he apparently used the Shadow Triad to find out about you." This only confirmed your earlier suspicions, so it didn't faze you as much as it probably should have._

"Every time I watch my Pokemon battle, it ends like this… but the Pokemon on both sides tried sooo hard, didn't they? You're amazing! Yep! I'm really, really, really impressed," she exclaimed, her usual bubbly nature shining through the forced seriousness. Her mouth looked like it was itching to grin, but she stopped herself midway. "Hey, thank you."

"What for?" you questioned, linking the last Pokeball back onto your belt. Even though times had passed since Dragonspiral Tower, this was the first time you had seen Bianca alone since, and things were still tangibly awkward. You didn't even want to look at her too much, conflicted as you were over how you'd left things. No one was right, and no one was wrong, either. But apologizing had always been hard for you to do.

_"Cheren is pursuing the ideal of strength. Poor Bianca has faced the sad truth that not everyone can become stronger. And you are not swayed either way—more of a neutral presence. You may be the one the other legendary dragon recognized. But in order to meet Zekrom, you must become a hero as well, or stand by and watch the world change."_

"In Castelia City, my precious Pokemon was stolen by Team Plasma. So I really, really understand! If Team Plasma forces everyone to liberate their Pokemon, there will be nothing but sad people!"

Your ears perked up, listening to her declaration. It was true, all too true. It was part of the reason you felt so strongly about stopping them. Pokemon were your friends, too, like everyone else. They were always by your side, in fun times, and in hard times, too. You could count on them, and they could count on you right back. Just like any other partnership. You couldn't understand why Team Plasma was so set on it that they didn't even notice that a lot of Pokemon actually _wanted_ to be around people.

"Stop Team Plasma! Don't allow Pokemon to be stolen from Trainers who love them! I think that's the truth—or ideal—that you've been pursuing..."

She suddenly buried her face in both hands, which caught you off guard. The change in her was so quick that you wondered what was going on. You completely forgot that you had ever been mad at her before.

"Oh dear, here I've come all this way, and I'm afraid I'm bothering you when you're going through so much. All I wanted was to help you relax."

You swallowed uncomfortably, feeling tremendously guilty. It was starting to sink in for you that your behavior before was wrong. Bianca had to have been just as scared as you were. Could you really blame her for not going into the tower, feeling how she did about it, and her own skill level? At the same time, part of your guilt was from the present. She had traveled a long way just to try and make you feel better. If that wasn't a good friend, you didn't know what one was.

"Bianca, I'm really sorry. I wasn't being fair before."

"No, no. I... I know I should have helped." The blonde muttered into her hands before looking up again. "I just didn't think I could make a difference. I thought I'd get in the way, maybe. And... and I was a little frightened, too. I didn't know what to expect. But now... if I could do it again, I would have tried. It's more important to face your fears and help a friend, than to worry and do nothing."

"Still! I shouldn't have told you off like that. You never would talk to me that way."

"Haha, oh, maybe! I think we all get mad though, don't we? Me too! But I guess I think it more than I say it. Anyway! It doesn't matter at all. What matters is... well, I guess what's coming up! Are you okay? Are you ready for it?"

"As much as I can be," you sighed. "One more badge to go, and then it's on to the League. I hope the Opelucid Gym Leader will know something about Zekrom... Bianca, I don't know if I can do this without it. Even Alder said it; it's unlikely that normal Pokemon can stand up against Reshiram, no matter how well-trained."

"I guess you'll just have to give it your best shot. You're an amazing Trainer. If anyone could do it, I think you could."

"Yeah..." you replied quietly, unconvinced. There was always that last thought nagging your mind.

_What if your best...wasn't enough?_

**.**

**.**

**.**

**ON ROUTE 10**

**(** final goodbye mode **)**

The sun is beating down upon you now as you walk down Route 10, making your slow way to the gates of Victory Road. You're trying to keep your thoughts in order, but with so many flooding your brain, it's a tough challenge. There's just so many things to remember. You're trying to recall every bit of advice anyone ever gave you about battling. You're remembering every very difficult battle you'd come out of on the winner's side. Considering the five members on your team, and their individual strengths and weaknesses. About as variable as his mood is N's Pokemon team. He seems to use new ones each time you clash, except for Zoroark. That one you've seen more than once, so for him, that's a lock-in. Aside from that and Reshiram, the other four could be anything. Your strategy needs to somehow accommodate that broad range of foes.

The more you puzzle over it the more you lose your mind. Not only that, but even with the best match-ups, you still felt doomed. There was no getting around the obvious: Reshiram was not your average Pokemon and it was that simple, and that horrible. You almost felt as if you shouldn't be heading this way, what with your failure to find or awaken Zekrom. You aren't the second hero of the story but a substitute, a poor one. A young woman with not even extraordinary skills.

Yet you were chosen. _You_.

As you stride along the path you ponder. What was the reason for this choice? Was N, Ghetsis, maybe, only choosing you because you were so fallible? Picking an opponent they knew they could overcome?

No.

You didn't want to think that way, at least about _him_ , but it was a possibility.

You never wanted this, but now that you have it, the burden falls across your shoulders and you force yourself to stand and bear it. Is this being grown up? Regardless, you feel older with the reality of it bearing on you day after endless day.

It all feels so gut-wrenchingly impossible. But you know if you let yourself dwell on that for a second, you're bound to fall apart.

"Stop!"

You turned around to face behind you. Running over the first steps of the bridge were two very familiar faces.

At first you thought the worst, worried that something had somehow happened while you'd been journeying out this way, and that you'd missed the announcement. You might have left your X Transceiver by the side of the road somewhere - there was no point for you to have it anymore. Everyone knew where to find you if they wanted to. Or, being honest, you were afraid of what you might receive in messages. Finally, you had a secret wish to be left alone. It might be wrong, but it was what you inwardly desired.

You stood stock-still, about two stride-lengths from the end of the bridge and where the dirt path continued, bracing yourself for whatever came next, be it good news (which seemed unlikely), or bad. You imagined you must have looked rather odd, the deer in headlights expression, but now was not a time for vanity. You'd never had much time for something like that.

It hit you just now how much you actually wanted to see them. Everyone else could bugger off, but you would always make an effort for these two.

Bianca and Cheren eventually caught up to you, and you spared a moment to wonder why they'd come out here together. It'd been quite a long time since you three had all been in one place. Taking inventory of their appearance, you noticed that Bianca seemed more reserved than usual, and her eyes kept flickering back to Cheren no matter how many times she looked away. Clearly, something was going on with him that concerned her, for her to be so focused on just him. He, on the other hand, had no attention to spare for anything other than getting out his message to you.

"Drayden and Professor Juniper told me. You're heading for the Pokemon League, right?"

You grimaced at the question, feeling it was obvious what the answer was. Where else did he think you were heading, traveling on Route 10? Especially with the circumstances being what they were? You had no idea if N had made it to the League yet, or if he had battled with Alder. The Pokemon League in Unova was remarkably closed-off from the region. It was remote, and you had little chance of knowing what was going on there without actually being there in person. That fact made it all the more urgent to arrive there, to see and assess the situation.

And to be there, if in fact, Plan A failed.

"Of course I am, Cheren. I mean, what other choices do I have? Go on vacation in Undella Town? Hardly!"

You shifted on your feet, feeling bad about your bluntness, and put one hand against face, willing yourself to calm down. Your head was paining you - it had felt like you'd had a migraine the past month or so, to your discomfort. The honest truth was that every time you thought of it, it unnerved you more. But you couldn't let your friends see that. They, like everyone else, believed in you. The least you could do is try to seem like you were holding it together. Even if that was far from the truth.

All the world is a stage...

"Since it's Alder… Since it's the Champion, I think it will be all right. He isn't the easiest obstacle to overcome, or he wouldn't be at the rank he is."

He made eye contact with you, and his tone was matter-of-fact. This was his way of trying to reassure you... you recognized that tone from other such times; he had caught onto your mood. Then again, you had always been transparent whenever you were truly down in the dumps, emotion-wise. You wanted badly to be satisfied with that statement, but you couldn't. It wasn't that you wanted to be put in such a position, but somehow, you _knew_.

"Maybe... maybe this will all be okay," Bianca chimed in. Her optimism reeked of false hope, and sounded forced.

"Mr. Alder is sure to put up a good fight. You've always beaten N when you've battled him, haven't you? No offense to anyone, but if you can, I'm sure the Champion can!" she declared, her lips making an awkward smile to back it up. Sadly, it only made you feel more nervous, given that even an upbeat person like Bianca couldn't offer any words of security.

"Worst-case scenario…you'll be battling Team Plasma's boss, N. But... before any of that happens, I want to battle you myself." Cheren stood his ground, pulling out one Pokeball as if to say there was no denying his request. He looked a bit ill himself, about as ill as the idea made you feel. He seems to grasp the implications.

Because when he puts it that way, you can't help but feel your stomach drop out from beneath you. Sure, you've beaten Cheren in pretty much all of the battles you've ever had, but what if it's different this time? He's clearly wanting to test your strength. What sort of implications does that have for the conflict you're facing in the near-feature? Because though he's made that vow, and you believe Alder will do his best, something in your gut has already accepted that the weight of the world will come to rest on your shoulders. It will be you, N, and Reshiram on the final battleground, and if you lose… oh, you don't even want to think about it. Things will change horribly, and you worry for your own safety when it comes to crooks like Ghetsis, who will be waiting in the wings for a moment to strike. If you can't even beat _Cheren_ now, then you feel like you might as well give up on the endeavor.

But by the same token, you know yourself well enough to predict that you'd still blindly charge on, as you've convinced yourself, and you've been told by numerous people (N included, oddly enough) that you're the only one for this job. Do or die.

"I need to know if you can handle it!"

"Cheren, I..."

You stop, but you want to say it, though. The notion of forgoing all of this, to not face this final test before you fling yourself into the chaos awaiting. Perhaps it would be better not to know where you stood right now. Perhaps it would be kinder, to both you and him, so that you could keep some delusional hope that it will all work itself out. For if you don't know then you have nothing concrete to base your worry off of. The worry might still come, but it will come less stark, and less bleak than it would this way.

"Just battle me," he says quietly, his voice wavering. His eyes are pointed to the ground, and the grip on his Pokeball is rigid. " _Please_."

All you can do now is nod your okay for the battle, and send out Serperior to counter Cheren's beginning choice. Bianca waits nearby, one hand clenched around her other arm, and her face is fraught with anxiety. You wonder if she's even rooting for anyone this time. The telling nature of this match isn't a truth lost on anyone, not even her.

As Serperior fires off a barrage of leech seeds, you lose concentration with the outside world—this is how battling has always been for you, and how it probably always will be. You are fully engrossed, and it seems to take a toll on your reserves like some sort of grueling work-out. All the neuron transmitters in your brain are going full-blast, supplying possibilities, strategies at lightning speed, but you pluck them aimlessly from the bunch on instinct, calling commands so fast it feels like you're actually not thinking this through after all. The Pokémon you're facing trembles with anticipation as the seeds take root and begin claiming some of its life force. Serperior coils its tail and braces for the retaliation. He's a true veteran; it sometimes feels to you like he knows what he's doing more than you ever will.

The thought is not comforting in the least.

...

An eon later, you're seeing the sun setting for the first time while recalling the last of your Pokémon to its ball. Victory was… _is_ yours, and relief comes stumbling in like a drunkard. Somehow it's not enough to bolster your overall mood about the situation, which has always felt a tad hopeless no matter what spin you put on it. Without Zekrom, are you truly equipped to take N on? Or are you fighting a losing battle?

Should you even fight it at all?

"Thank you. You are really great. Yep, you are something else. And I mean that sincerely. Okay, I have to make your Pokemon healthy."

Minutes later, you three were back to how you were, standing in a small group on the bridge, and trying hard to find something to say other than stuff about the "situation" at present. It was truly a failed enterprise from the beginning. Everything else you could have discussed seemed so trivial by comparison.

"Right now, there's no way I can compete with you. If there is anything I can do to help in the battle with N, just say so…" Cheren nodded resolutely.

"Thank you," you said, hoping that he could somehow understand how much it meant to you.

Bianca wanted her say, too. She closed the gap in between you girls, and admitted, "There's not much I can do to help you, but I want you to have these!" She handed over a bundle of Max Revives like a care package, and you accepted them for what they were worth. It certainly couldn't hurt to be stocked up on medicine going into this.

She wrinkled her nose for a moment, and then blurted out, "Still, it's kind of funny! Everyone's so different."

Cheren looked aghast at this statement.

"Funny? At a time like this… Bianca, you _must_ be joking."

"No," she replied, confident. He shook his head, seemingly waiting for the rationale.

"Come on, Cheren. Could you smile just for once?" Bianca lectured right back, a hand planted on her hip. "Taking everything so seriously all the time isn't going to change anything." She rolled her eyes playfully to counter his disgruntled expression, and then expanded on her point. "Since we've met our Pokemon and walked the same roads together, a lot has happened… We've all changed a lot! We found out that the things we want to do and the things we can do are different for each of us, right? That's what's made our journey so worth it. Somehow, all this just makes me happy."

She seemed earnest about it, so much so that it made you buckle a little. Even knowing her, her optimism was incredible. You felt a weak and pitiful creature in comparison.

"Oh…So that's what you mean. You are right that we're all different and we should do the things that we can do. There are as many truths and ideals as there are people and Pokemon. The most important thing is that we help one another out. That's why people and Pokémon are always by each other's side. That's what I've come to think lately…" He trailed off, and then switched tack from reminiscing to action mode. It wasn't strange to you - all business - that was textbook Cheren behavior.

"If anything happens to you or Alder, I will do everything I can to help you. That's why I have to keep training and getting stronger."

"Just… don't be reckless, OK?" he finished, looking unwillingly emotional at the thought. You were convinced you even saw tears forming underneath the sharp rims of his glasses, but Cheren being Cheren, he wouldn't stick around so you could confirm it. Without any sort of warning, he fled, running back the way he came down Route 10, back towards Opelucid City. He left behind two very confused girls, and an despondent silence.

"He's gone."

She looked disappointed, but her eyes could barely leave the spot, caught in between the conversation there with you, and her desire to run right after him. Bianca sighed momentarily, but perked up when she came back to say her parting words to you.

"Me, too! I'll do my best to help if I can! So… Umm… I wish I could say something, like, totally inspiring, you know?" She laughed uncomfortably, and put one finger on her nose, an old habit driven by nerves. "Umm… OK… Best foot forward!"

"Bianca, please wait a second."

She stops walking away, and you stand there, blinking at the sun, find yourself unable to voice what you wanted. Cheren had run off too quick for you to ask him, and you couldn't just let your other best friend slip away without a real goodbye. At the same time, you feel awkward about it. Does it make you weak to be this out of sorts? You feel childish, wanting comforting. But it doesn't change the fact that you want it. Without it, you don't know if you have the strength to carry on, whatever your sense of duty was saying.

"Oh!" she exclaims, as if the idea had hit her. Smiling bravely for the both of you, she walks back over and flings her arms around you, pulling you into a warm hug.

"It's gonna be totally fine. I know Cheren running off doesn't seem reassuring, but he believes in you. He definitely does. And so do I! I mean, wow. Who would have thought things would have turned out this way?"

You mumbled unintelligibly into her shoulder as your response. But it was true. No one would have guessed the turns your first journey as trainers would take. If you all came out of it somehow unharmed, it would be something you'd never forget.

"Can I tell you a secret?"

"Sure," you replied evenly.

"He was telling me on the way here, you know... That he thinks you may be right. Obviously none of us want it to go that way, but yeah. He wants to challenge the Elite Four straightaway. The training schedule he's used to... it's not gonna work if he wants to be in place in case things go badly. I suspect he won't be doing much training at all before he goes ahead and battles them. So, I just wanted you to know, you're not alone. I'm going back to Nuvema to help Professor Juniper research the Dark Stone, but if I hear of any trouble, I'll get there real fast, 'kay?"

She beamed, and unlike before, it gave clout to her resolution.

"Now, come on, you can do it! Just be strong!"

You hold her bone-crushingly tight then, because, by Arceus, you have that feeling of saying an important goodbye, and you'd rather jump off a cliff than go into this battle without letting her how much she means to you.

There's a wave of relief as she seems to understand, and she, in an attempt to soothe you, rubs one hand up and down your back before stepping away, and retreating in the other direction. A final "Bye-bye..." seems to echo in her wake. You can wish for nothing more than to see her and Cheren again, on some happier occasion. When this is all...settled. If it can be.

The sudden gust of wind running through the area is the only witness to after, when you plop down on the edge of the bridge and heave several back-breaking sobs. You were doing so well at keeping yourself in check up until then, but it just hits you all in one painful blow, every single emotion running through your warm-blooded veins. You let the tears flow into the river below, but it never seems to stop, because as soon as you think you've drained yourself of the malaise, a single prickly thought starts the process all over again. At this rate, you'll never even make it to the front doors of Victory Road. But you have to. You know you have to.

It's you everyone is counting on. So it's only sensible when you force all lingering tantrums to the abyss of your mind, buck up, and get to your feet.

Time to be their hero.


	7. From The League To N's Castle

**.**

**.**

**.**

**THE FINAL BATTLE**

**(** save the day mode **)**

As you climb to the summit of the Pokemon League, to the Champion's room, so many thoughts flash through your brain.

So many feelings, too.

A selfish part of you mourns for the loss of normalcy on your journey, for all the experiences that had been colored by your need to be quicker, to not take time to enjoy them. For the people around you who too were affected. Today especially should have been a joyous one, replete with challenging battles, and hard-won victories. It should have been fun to battle with the quartet of masters, those Elite Four. Ever since setting out as a Trainer, you had dreamed of that moment.

Instead, it had been nothing more than a tense string of unsatisfying matches. Everyone was just so on-edge. They kept staring at the ceiling as if willing it to be translucent, to show what was happening above. N and Alder were in the midst of their battle. Caitlin, Marshal, Shauntal, and Grimsley could only stall him for so long until he broke through their defenses. You wonder darkly if they were even giving their best, considering what was occurring. You got the feeling that they were holding back, that they were making it easier for you to progress. It offended your pride, but now wasn't the time for such nonsense.

You had to win. Your goals were right here, and if you didn't move on past these four spectacular trainers, you wouldn't be in place for the outcome of Champion versus Team Plasma's boss. They all had some words of advice for you.

First had been Shauntal, whose greeting had been nothing more than a description of her battle against N in more eloquent prose. After being defeated by the unusual blow of Surf as dealt by your Audino, she had offered a jaunty smile, pen-in-hand. You suspected she'd be writing post-battle. Whether out of true desire, or a need to keep busy, you had no idea. " _Never lose faith_."

Second had been Marshal. His had been the trickiest battle for you, based on his Pokemon's incredible stamina. Even if the E4 were trying to let you move on quickly, there was no getting there fast with him. It was only by the skin of your teeth that you made it out of there, but before leaving, his piece of advice had been administered. " _No challenge is insurmountable_."

After them, you faced the impressive attacks of Grimsley's team. For the time it took you, you were able to focus on the battle, even as the moans and groans of the building's walls sounded in your ear. The match going on higher up in the sky was intense, but by this third match, you had finally learned the importance of blocking out all distractions. Once you did, you were able to repel the Dark-type master's roundabout strategies and challenging move-sets, and claim victory.

"Well, now, that was delightful. Victory shines like a bright light, and now, you and your Pokemon are shining brilliantly!" He perched on the edge of his black-leather sofa, unnervingly pleasant and casual, given the time frame. His hand went to his chin, where one finger stayed, giving him the air of searching his mind for something. As antsy as you were to continue, you were wont to hear him out, to see what he could say to give you some hope.

"No," he said airily after some time had passed, "I think you'll be splendid. Just remember the bond you share with your Pokemon. _If you work together, there's nothing you can't accomplish_."

You defeated Caitlin and her Psychic-types last of all.

"...Don't concern yourself about me. Proceed to the Champion's room, immediately." Her lightly-hued eyes studied you unblinkingly for a second, and then she turned away, seemingly letting you loose. An ear-splitting roar from above then rocked the walls down the the core, but somehow you heard her instruct you over the ruckus, " _Do your best_."

You only wished you could be so unaffected looking as her as you hurried off into the courtyard to await your next move.

And now, you were nearing the top. You spare a moment to wonder where your friends are. Is Cheren already battling the four you had just triumphed over? Is Bianca still safe in Nuvema Town? And Alder? The front lines were sounding awfully quiet as of now...

.

.

.

"It's over!"

"Never again will Pokemon be made to suffer or be held captive by humans. It's all thanks to my friend, Reshiram! You may have the title of Champion… But you can't stop me with just a title. Your soft heart has left you weak. Years ago, you lost your Pokemon, your partner, to sickness. In order to forget the pain in your heart, you wandered Unova… Who knows how long it's been since you've had to fight with your full strength? I actually kind of like that about you, though."

He walks closer to where Alder was.

"As a Trainer who far outmatches the Champion, I shall issue an order across Unova: Trainers of the world, free your Pokemon!"

"I beg you! Separating people from Pokemon… Do anything but that!"

"You and I both put our beliefs on the line and fought with all our strength. And I won. Do not say another word." He smiles brightly, the pride in his triumph glowing for all to see. He hears your approach, and spins to face you. His gaze turns intense, focused. It was how you had always imagined this moment in your worst-case scenarios. An opponent with the desire to win, and the belief in themselves that they could... that was the most difficult type of Trainer to face.

"…I've been waiting," he remarks silkily, one hand resting on the belt at his side, fingering the cube that hangs off of it.

"In the future I envisioned, you obtained a stone. And, indeed, you have. That Dark Stone… Reshiram is responding to it."

He walks away from you and the Champion both, seeming oddly at ease compared to the rest of you. But of course, he would be, wouldn't he? N, no matter if he won or lost, was always off in his own world as far as how he saw things. And you knew he must have had a plan. Or Ghetsis had a plan... everything had gone off without a hitch for them so far. There was no reason to be on the defensive.

"Stop. This is not a suitable place for the legendary dragons! From the ground, rise up! The castle of Team Plasma! Surround the Pokemon League!"

.

.

.

"It's time to settle this once and for all! My determination is absolute! I will prove the value of my beliefs even if it means my Pokemon friends get hurt! Since you've come this far, I believe you are equally determined. If that's so, prove it to me! Show me the depth of your determination!"

You stare at him, feeling like this is the first time you've truly met. No emotions belie your façade, but just beneath the skin you call your own, words are forming sentences to form your case which forms your stance.

You're determined, all right. Determined to find some way to make him see your point of things, and to have him realize what the world will lack if he goes through with his dream.

Memories, being called upon, flood your brain, shocking your senses with the terrible depth of how they recur to you. Why, you can almost smell the crisp air in autumn; feel the sod squish beneath your sneakers, the warmth of Bianca's hand folded in your left hand, and Cheren's bony fingers grasping yours from the right, as things truly began for you three. Inside yourself you storm, wishing that somehow, impossible as it was, N could see what you were seeing, so that he would understand. So that he could understand. Maybe, haha—

_"Let's all take our first steps on Route 1 together!"_

_Green eyes went first from blue to even deeper blue, all twinkling with their own level of excitement, and registering the unspoken question—are you ready? Yes I am. In due time, they all flashed to the front, taking in the landscape. A route it was, but no recognizable road could be spotted. Only a swath of tall grass, growing taller than you guys, and trees on either side of the clearing. The sounds were of the wind humming its way through, and the distant cry of some Pokemon—maybe yours, in time. No one seemed able to move, even with the intention of doing so. What was the signal, again?_

_Where was the Professor? She said she was going to be waiting out here somewhere… You wondered if she'd gotten distracted by something and forgotten. After all, this world outside Nuvema… there was plenty to get distracted by, at least in your eyes. Your fingers itched to be pushing ahead, pulling blades of the grass aside so that you could make your way down the road. Your ears were keen, half anxious that you'd hear something, and half-excited to hear it, too. Because you never knew when a Pokemon could appear in tall grass, and there was something exhilarating and frightening about the mystery of it._

_"OK, go!"_

_"Wait-huh?"_

_"Biancaaaa!"_

_You were rudely tugged forward when you hadn't been paying attention, attached at the hand as you were to Bianca, and by default, pulling Cheren along with you. You quite lost your balance in the upset, and before you knew it, you were tripping over your own feet, and knocking Bianca down into the dirt with you, Cheren falling last after the two of you girls. No one was very happy about it, and for a grim two seconds, you all mentally placed blame on one of the others before voicing your displeasure further._

_"What's with you guys? I thought we were going together?" Bianca said, pulling herself up to her knees, her white skirt now dusted with fresh dirt. The thought occurred to you – the guilty one is always the most eager to speak first, as to draw attention away from themselves._

_You and Cheren groaned in unison, still face down on the ground after such a rough ordeal. He was glaring across the way at Bianca in his special way that somehow gave so much more of a sting than regular people with their run-of-the-mill disparaging looks. You had no energy to do much but lay there. Well, this journey's off to a splendid start…_

_"Why would you run ahead, Bianca? We were supposed to take_ steps _, not a sprint!"_

_"Oh haha, but sprinting is good for you, Cheren! Yet, maybe I did overdo it a little…"_

_"You think?"_

_You were the only one facing dead ahead, and fortunately so, because the other two were too engaged in their mini-spat that they wouldn't have noticed you had an audience at all. One gray ear poked out between the grass, listening. On the ground you could see the fluffy end of something like a tail was also visible. You watched intently, waiting to see if the creature would make a full appearance. You were engrossed in the stake-out, curious beyond your belief to know what it was. You didn't recognize the color of its pelt, or the ear's bent. Aside from the Snivy resting in the Pokeball on your belt, and the odd Pidove or Patrat around town, you hadn't met many Pokemon at all in your sixteen years._

_"Shhh," you interrupted, putting a finger to your lips. The ear extending from the foliage had just twitched. Maybe it knew you had noticed it standing there. Or maybe it was coming out. Could just be a coincidence. The movement could mean one of a hundred different things._

_Both of your best friends stopped talking, and their eyes followed that same finger as it pointed out their onlooker. Breathlessly, you all took in the scene, and waited patiently._

_The creature made its move as soon as silence took root. Very cautiously, it stuck its head all the way out of the patch of grass, and questioned you. "_ Mincinno cinno cinno _?"_

_"Ooh, cutie-pie!" cooed Bianca, clapping both hands together. "I would love to have one of those!"_

_"You'll have to catch it first, and that's a lot harder than you think," rattled off Cheren, being practical as always._

_You remember being happier than you ever had been before that day, just for seeing the tiny chinchilla Pokemon outside. Your first instinct was not to catch it, but merely to observe it, though granted, you were curious about what battling alongside Mincinno might be like. It was, more than anything, a new experience, and so you weren't quite sure what to make of it yet._

…

"You are more of a neutral presence than your friends."

"You've said that to me before." Your words are guarded, wondering what N means by bringing that up again. Even with the time you've had to puzzle over it since the first time, you've never quite figured out the relevance of the statement.

"But doesn't repetition add strength to things, because it drives the point home? I mean what I say…"

Sometimes, at times like these, it's surreal. Your surroundings, your purpose for being here at all, all conflict with the vibe you receive from N. He's so naïve and translucent in ways that catch you off-guard when you're exposed to them. You have to remind yourself of the way he grew up, that he's not like other people. Of course, even you're not completely sure about his childhood. The fragments you've pieced together create a fuzzy picture at best, but somehow that makes the point even more convincing. He doesn't see the world in the same way.

The playroom a few floors below haunts you. It doesn't fit with anything else you know or think you know about N. It seems like he couldn't have ever played there, but at the same time, you recall how the trains were slowing running over the tracks, and the basketball strewn on the floor as if it had just been used.

…

He sometimes seems like he's not real. Because he's so uniquely strange. It unnerves you when he speaks, because you never know what you'll hear. Or if it's something you'll want to hear. A threat, maybe, or a question spoken like from a young child, "Did I do that right? Isn't that how people say that? I thought it was that way. Isn't it?"

"I know you mean it," you say breathlessly, your chest constricting with a feeling you have no name for, one you only experience around him, "But I don't know _what_ you mean."

"You're different from other people I've met on my journey. Through our many battles, I got the feeling that you might be a Trainer who truly cares for Pokemon! But I was kidding myself."

His gaze suddenly goes dark, and he turns to the side, no longer facing you. He seems to be struggling with some inner conflict, and you wonder if there was any part of him that still believes in you. Or maybe you are kidding yourself, too, that there iss something in him that you still can believe in. You want so badly for him to understand. Because you feel like you understand him, to some extent. His heart bled for Pokemon - he wasn't a bad person, when you could get past all the fervor he put into pursuing his lofty dreams. Oh, if only he would just listen; just take your words for what they were.

"N, I do care for them. They are my friends, too. We work together - they're not fighting only because I make them. None of us are trying enslave the Pokemon. We..." You think back on that memory for inspiration, "We are curious. Pokemon are as much a part of our lives as we are in theirs. Our intentions are truly pure. Battling is simply a way of getting to know each other. It's nothing meant to hurt anyone."

He starts to shake his head at your declarations, so stubborn that he doesn't even want to acknowledge them. His heart felt so strongly that he was right that he rejected all other propositions.

"The idea of Trainers getting to know each other through battles is ridiculous!" He turns back again, and thrusts one arm forward, his index finger jabbing the air in your direction. "You have two options. Challenge me to a fight you can't win, or leave this place and watch the birth of a new world where Pokemon are free of people!"

"No!" you shriek, feeling a sense of despair. You aren't frightened of the possibilities. You know that you will always do your best to protect the way the world is, and your best was all you could hope to give. You are just so distraught that he still feels this way; it absolutely breaks your heart. And you can't even... you don't have... he has Reshiram on his side. If this really was all about heroes, and the dragons give their support to a person in whom they believe... where does that leave you? You have nothing. Could you be wrong?

"Reshiram! Come to me!"

No.

No. You won't allow yourself to think that way.

Just now, a horrible crashing noise erupts, and at the end of the long throne room, the wall is blasted apart. Stone comes flying in yours and N's direction, right on the heels of a sleek, white-bodied dragon. You stand, aghast, as the gargantuan creature comes soaring the length of the room to rest at N's side. So that is what you have to battle...

Reshiram lets out a blood-curdling roar, causing you to clutch at your ears out of fear. The generator on its back starts to glow a bright scarlet, and a burner shoots out of it, filling the whole room with an oppressive amount of heat. The water in the pools on either side of the fairway disappear, evaporating and drying up before your astonished eyes.

Pokemon have special powers to manipulate nature, but you have never seen anything like... _this_.

The situation is tipped in N's favor, and you can do nothing about it but stand your ground, and take deep breaths. You are losing hope like grains of sand in a hourglass, slipping through faster than you can control. For all the encouragement you have, you are only human. You didn't even... you couldn't possibly!

A keening sound reverberates throughout the room, close to your ear, and you are powerless to do more than stare as the bag at your side opens, and the Dark Stone from the Nacrene museum rises into the air, glowing with a pitch black aura.

"Your Dark Stone is… I mean, Zekrom is…"

A storm cloud of sorts forms above you, him, and Reshiram, the air being stirred up to give birth to the legendary Pokemon. Your eyes are wide as you watch its progress, feeling some of your strength return to you. Could it be that...? Did you have a chance after all? Oh please, oh please, you beg inwardly. Even the Pokeballs at your side are trembling, as if they too were joining in the plea. Your Pokemon want a fair fight as much as you, a chance to prove yourself, and to keep humans and them together.

"Reshiram and Zekrom… They were once one life. One Pokemon. Complete opposites, yet the same. Reshiram & Zekrom are Pokemon that appear before the hero they recognize."

A mammoth dragon descends from its cloud-like embryo, coming to rest on the tile floor, its bloody red eyes pointing in your direction. You face up bravely to the stare, knowing you have no other option. Zekrom was either going to choose you, or it wouldn't.

N ponders off to his side. "Ah… I see. You really are a hero, too. I'll tell you what that Pokemon is saying to you. 'I want to battle with you. Try to make me your friend and ally.' It plans to test you to see if you are really pursuing ideals. I, also, am curious to see how powerful you are. Now, catch Zekrom and make it your ally!"

.

.

.

You don't know how you did it, only that it happened. The balance was even again, for now. One dragon each.

"Ah… I see. Zekrom, who is said to lend its power to the hero who searches for ideals, has recognized your power and now agrees to stand by your side…"

He is emotionless as he strides over to you, and continues with his speech. You can feel the tenseness of the situation increase tenfold. The time is coming nearer and nearer, and now, you almost certainly can't avoid battling him. It has gone too far for either of you to back out now. Ideals versus truth, that will be the battle du jour.

"Hold on. Your Pokemon are hurt... There is no triumph to be gained in battling a weakened opponent." Well, thank Arceus for his nobility. You don't need to be at more of a disadvantage than you already are.

He returns to his side of the field, and waves one hand in the air to signal to Reshiram that it was time. On your half, you release Zekrom from its capsule, and pray silently for the discipline needed to battle at your full strength.

"Now, I will create the future I desire! I shall sweep you before me!"

There is roaring on both sides of the arena.

.

.

.

"Do you really think you can stop us with that?" N calls out, smiling in a twisted sort of way. The DragonBreath attack you had commanded from Zekrom had hit its mark, but Reshiram didn't seem to be suffering enough damage to be out of commission.

"ZEKROM, AGAIN!" You bellow from your position on the floor, where you'd been blown back to the ground with the fallout of Reshiram's initial Hyper Beam attack. "YOU CAN DO IT!"

The Deep Black Pokemon rears its head again, and an electric blue flame shoots out from its snout, cutting Reshiram straight across the gut, its most vulnerable spot. The foe is knocked back a pace, and it howls angrily at the somewhat cheap shot. Then again, it isn't your fault you aren't bothering with trash talk this battle, and its trainer is.

N prepares to refute again, his grin still plain on his face. You narrow your eyes, calculating. There was something you had been waiting for... THERE!

The white dragon suddenly seizes up, snarling angrily as a cage of golden static envelops its torso, preventing it from making a move. N's face drops as he watches his partner fight the effects of paralysis, and he turns back to you in disbelief. You, however, are finally beginning to hit your stride.

"It's our time, Zekrom. You know what to do!"

.

.

.

Years and year later it seems, you are fighting a battle that seems probable for once. N's backlash at losing his first Pokemon out was severe, and neither of you are dominating by any means. As always, it is a fearsome clash of wills, and you are on your guard, as is Serperior. It seems only fitting that it had come down to this, pitting your longest and best friends against each other. That's where it really is at. The type match-up isn't promising, but you aren't going to let that stop you.

The world depends on this outcome!

"My last friend… Please share your courage with me!"

He sends out Zoroark. The illusion-creating fox grins in a predatorial manner as it surveys its opponent. In response, Serperior hisses, letting it know that it isn't afraid of Zoroark's tricks. If anything, Serperior has enough tricks up its own sleeve to feel well-matched. You are confident that it will be enough. You refuse to lose this battle. You are fighting for something you truly believe in, and that gives you all the fire you need.

Flash, Giga Drain, Leaf Tornado, and Leech Seed - they are a recipe for the type of fight you hope to put up.

.

.

.

"Is the world going to choose you—and not me?"

N's face is stark white, mollified in the wake of the current status of the battle. He stands on his half like a statue, watching helplessly as the green glow of Giga Drain intensifies, sucking every last dreg of fighting power out of Zoroark even while Serperior regains some of its own strength. As it goes on, he too, looks like he is being drained. The anger and determination of before, the stubborn refusal to see another's point... you see no vestiges of it there in his gaze now.

This doesn't make you feel as good as you thought you would have. You know you have won, and when the attack is finished, your purpose would be complete. But nothing about it feels worth celebrating. You can't tear your attention off of your opponent. N is crumbling before your eyes, you can see it written all over his body language. What you have is only half a victory - the success, but none of the good feelings that should have come along with it.

Serperior finally releases its victim, letting the shadowy Pokemon slump to the floor, fainted. It coils its tail away from the body, and surveys you with reptilian eyes. "Serrrrr," it cries, hoping to achieve your attention. You look at it, feeling forlorn, and a bit guilty. You are just so out of it right now, you can't properly congratulate your starter for the bravery it has shown.

"Serperior... th-thank you," you mumble, feeling your eyes sting with the first sign of tears. Why they are there at all is a mystery to you. "Please... get some rest. You were amazing," you add, returning it to its Pokeball.

"N!" you call next, shocking him out of the haze he is in. He has been brought to his knees with everything that has happened, and he has abandoned the world for his mind, his thoughts. You wonder what he will do now, how will he react? The N you know seems to be surfacing, and you are pulling for him. Underneath the fanaticism, there is a good heart.

"N! Zoroark, it's... you need to put him back in his Pokeball," you say, your tone patient even as you worry.

The green-haired man snaps his head up, just realizing what's going on. He very quickly returns his partner to his Pokeball, but makes no motions to stand or otherwise move. "Everything's ruined. The truths I held… the dreams I shared…"

...

...

"Reshiram and I were beaten. Your ideals… Your feelings… They were stronger than mine, it seems…"

"Zekrom and Reshiram… Each of them choosing a different hero… Is that even possible?"

"Two heroes living at the same time—one that pursues ideals and one that pursues truth. Could… could they both be right? I don't know. It's not by rejecting different ideas, but by accepting different ideas that the world creates a chemical reaction. This is truly the formula for changing the world." He pulls himself back up on his feet, looking downtrodden.

You think to approach him, cautiously, to be sure, but still... you see now a bit clearer that no matter what happened before, nor what might happen after, you will never truly cut away N from your heart. And it was not in your nature to leave someone dear to you to suffer off to the side, alone. You begin to walk nearer, your expression even as to not offend him. He appears so fragile at this moment that you want to be careful.

"N," you speak, your voice ringing throughout the ruined foyer of the throne room. His head cocks slothfully to the side, taking you in. Now that things were over, are you friend... or foe, to him? You did wonder.

Before you can reach him though, another voice chimes in to ill effect, and its owner brushes you aside so rudely to the point where you almost take a spill for it. N's eyes widen uncomfortably as he acknowledges the new presence in the space. He seems frozen, unable to make any remark, or to move away as Ghetsis comes to a halt in front of him, seething with rage. He is paralyzed by the sheer intimidation of this man, of his sire. Things start to click in your head. Tragic notions and things, and you are reminded once more that when it comes to N's life before now, you have barely scratched the surface. You cannot possibly know all that he has been through, or why he seems to be so trapped inside himself at a time like this.

...

"After all of that, do you think you're still worthy of sharing the name Harmonia with me? You good-for-nothing boy!" The lead sage fumes for all to hear before shoving N back a few paces with his hands. The latter male cowers only feet away, and yet remains as still and unmoving as before. Ghetsis dismisses him with a single look of displeasure, and then turns to face you. You glare daggers, just daring him to give you a reason to fight back. Like the last one, this is also a battle you refuse to lose.

The calm, collected, almost politician-like facade of other times is in shards. Ghetsis is roaring like a dragon as he spits words towards you, his terrible eye shining red back at you, a harbinger of his fury. You clench your fists and stand your ground, senses on high-alert. If he makes any move to challenge you, you don't want him to have too much of a head start.

"To start with, I spurred N into pursuing the truth. The reason we reawakened the legendary Pokémon now was to give MY Team Plasma more power! Power to control the fearful masses! That at least was well done."

He tilts his head, speaking to his son now. You can hear the incredulity in his tone, and also the cruelness. It isn't just enough to say it for Ghetsis, he wants to leave a lasting impression. He hopes to break his own flesh and blood to sate his ego, put that other person beneath himself, to make himself paramount to all... You have never crossed such a disgusting human being before.

"After saying you had to put your beliefs on the line and battle to see which one chosen by the legendary Pokémon was the true hero... You lost to an ordinary Trainer! There is such a thing as being too stupid! Add it up, and you are nothing more than a warped, defective boy who knows nothing but Pokémon..."

"You!" He stabs one finger in your direction." I never would have thought the legendary Pokémon would choose a Trainer like you!" he remarks condescendingly. "It caught me completely off guard."

"...This doesn't change my goal. My plans have not been disturbed! In order to rule this world utterly, in order to manipulate the hearts of people who know nothing, I will have N be the king of Team Plasma. But, for that to work, you- since you know the truth- You must be eliminated!"

It is the moment you have been waiting for. Your hand tightens around Serperior's Pokeball at your waist. It doesn't matter that he is your only one left able to battle, or that he is tired from the last match. The second wind of determination will be with you, and you can't be thinking negatively right now.

"Stop right there!" bellows yet another male voice from behind where you are standing. You can hear multiple sets of footsteps gaining ground, and you spin around in a split-second, recognizing the voice. The pair that are making their way over... you are very happy to see them, indeed!

"Cheren," you breathe out, smiling like an idiot. The angry expression from before dissolves instantly upon seeing your friend.

"You're holding up?" the young man inquires, reaching you in that next sequence, and putting one hand on your arm. You nod, calmer now. You can feel some of the stress building up inside dissapating as well. Because not only is Cheren here, but a renewed Alder as well. Though you could not truthfully speak as to Ghetsis's level of power, the numbers are currently favorable.

"Bianca...?"

"Don't worry about her," Cheren replies simply, looking proud. "I think she can handle herself." Your heart surges inside, happy for them both, as clearly, they were still as enamored as ever, and finally, for the news that she too, is all right.

"You're under arrest, Ghetsis. I doubt that anyone here has to question why..." Alder states, giving a cursory glance around. No one moved to speak. "You _will_ follow us from this place, and be tried for your crimes. Any resistance or inflammatory words will count against you in court. It would be best if you came willingly, though I suspect no one is inclined to show you mercy no matter how you come along."

"Understood." Ghetsis bites back his venom, and makes no motions to resist as he is grabbed by the arms on either side by Alder and Cheren, and summarily marched from the room.

In the euphoria that has unexpectedly dawned, you aren't thinking as hard as you normally do, and perhaps you might have been suspicious of such an easy retreat, but for the moment, you are just glad it's over.

.

.

.

"Are you all right?" you ask softly. You're holding yourself back from your instincts, which want you to snatch him up in a hug or some sort of embrace like you usually do when comforting someone dear to you. Your tone is sweet, sweeter than you've heard yourself be in a while. He's pulling that out of you somehow, and you don't mind it. It feels... okay, almost, to act this way towards him.

You two are standing on either side of the throne. Like most other things in the room, it is cast from marble, and was ruined in the tempest of the night's events. Halfway up the back, the chair has cracked, and the top, where your head might rest... is simply gone, having been smashed into smithereens by Reshiram's tail dragging as it had made its dramatic entrance earlier. He's leaning on one armrest, and you, the other. You're close to each other, but there's still that dividing piece between you. It gives you the gall to even stand near to him.

"I know it's hard to lose... but that's the thing. If, if you accept it, I bet your Pokemon still wish to stand beside you. Even if you haven't been with them long, battling with them creates a definite bond. If you let it alone so it can grow, it's a form of friendship. They'll never leave your side unless you force them to."

You have to admit, you feel uneasy when you ponder the other possible outcome. Somehow you doubt he'd be this way towards you if you had not been victor in your clash. The loss was just the thing to break his fervor, the mood that he had been in before left no room for sympathy, even if the _real_ N would have felt that way. He was too caught up in his ideals, which at the time, seemed on the tips of his fingers. You understand the feeling, as you'd felt that way before, during hard battles. You wanted that win so bad, you sort of forgot everything else around you, and you didn't always act true to your character.

"But…I have no right to be the hero!" he blurts out suddenly, turning away from you. Now that Ghetsis and the others were gone, he is back to being despondent.

"Don't say that! Of course you're worthy! Reshiram wouldn't have bothered with you if you weren't. Yes, you lost, but that in no way says you're not good enough. Our battle was about two different points of view. You wouldn't insult another person if they happened to prefer purple when you like blue, would you? All of that is irrelevant. I _know_ you're a kind person, N, and please don't say things like that ever again..." you trail off, staring down at the dusty marble floor as if it would show you the right thing to say to him.

But, you are on your own, as usual.

"Acting like you understand… Up till now, we've been fighting each other over our beliefs! Yet, despite that…you've never been awful to me, not once. Why?" His voice is pained, and you comprehend in the moment that he truly cannot believe your behavior, given his own experience with people thus far. His views were so black-and-white, you should have expected he would say that.

"You know why," you say plainly, unashamed of the sentiment now that you accept its truthfulness. _Even if you don't understand it, don't know what to call it, you know how I feel... about you._

...

He is silent for the longest time, but you don't worry. He is processing. You want to give him that space. Being similar in this facet of your personality, you "get" how being left alone can benefit him. You too, sometimes needed to step away from the world once in a while to make your peace with it.

"I want to talk to you about something."

"It's about when I first met you in Accumula Town. I was shocked when I heard what your Pokémon was saying. I was shocked because that Pokémon said it liked you."

"It said it wanted to be with you." He reminisces, his tone unsure, as if he isn't confident that you'll take it well, but he feels pressed to say all of this no matter the result.

"...I couldn't understand it. I couldn't believe there were Pokémon that liked people. Because, up until that moment, I'd never known a Pokémon like that."

"The longer my journey continued, the more unsure I became. All I kept meeting were Pokémon and people who communicated with one another and helped one another. That was why I needed to confirm my beliefs by battling with you. I wanted to confront you hero-to-hero. _I needed that more than anything_."

He reaches out across the chair to feel your skin, three fingers gliding over your cheek, exploring. Your heart stops in that moment, waiting. For terror, or anger, or revulsion to set in. For some appropriate reaction, damn it. For all you've been through, particularly today, it would be only right to feel that way. You were _supposed to_ feel that way towards him, and so when he is touching you, it should be a hundredfold. But it's not. Oh by Arceus, it's not.

No—

His fingers are human; you can feel their gentle strength as they stroke downwards to touch your jaw line. You thought if he ever touched you, you would break. You thought it wouldn't be normal, like him. But he's so unlike your imagination it's startling. He's tangible, and oh so close, and oh so invading your space, but you don't mind. His thumb pulls at your bottom lip, and it inspires a sensation you can't ignore. Something you would've wanted to explore further, but…

"I'll miss you, _friend_." He retracts his hand, and straightens up standing.

Why-

"Where are you going?" you exclaim, snapping painfully from your reverie.

"There's no way a person like me, someone who understands only Pokemon—No, actually… I didn't understand them, either. No way could I measure up to you, when you had met so many Pokemon and were surrounded by friends…"

He edges away from the throne, opting to move closer to the gaping hole in the wall. Tossing one Pokeball into the air, he recalls the legendary dragon Pokemon from its confinement. Reshiram floats in mid-air, waiting for the signal. Before you can say any words to stop him, a splitting pain your head silences you, and you clutch at your face even while gritting your teeth. It seems you are just pulling out of the shock phase, and now you can feel what toll all of today had taken on your body.

"The Champion has forgiven me, and… What I should do now is something I'll have to decide for myself."

He smiles fondly in your direction, as if to say you shouldn't worry about him. But that was a wasted effort from the start.

"Dream your dream! Then, pursue the ideals to make that dream a reality, and someday you will achieve all that you dreamed of!"

"Well, then…" he trails off somewhat awkwardly, as if he too felt the next moment's difficulty in his bones. To leave, now? You wanted him... you didn't want him to... you don't even know anymore. You feel incredibly lightheaded, dizzy, like you can fall over at any moment. You want inspiration to strike you, to give you some words that will keep him where he is, but none come.

You feel sad with every ounce of your being.

"Farewell!"

...

You lean heavily on the marble chair as your form trembles, and the tears that form are not from the bodily pain you are experiencing. Of course, you'd vehemently deny this to anyone if asked. You can't even watch his departure, not wanting to believe it's happening. That this could all really be over is staggering. You've lived with the reality of this situation for so long that for it to be ripped away from you now is a terrible blow. Everything-the world-was safe, but you feel empty inside. Something is missing.

Whenever you'd read stories as a child, there never had been a hero without a villain. No matter how gray the roles are in real life, this is a truth that you want to impose. But he was...is... leaving you.

Your legs suddenly buckle beneath you as you hear wings flapping, and you feel a dull ache as your face connects with cold, hard stone. It seemed your body had finally given up on you, too. Your thoughts are disjointed now, and you can't tell the difference between dreaming and waking thought. Where is N?

_What is going on now?  
_

…

You imagine him flying over the ocean on Reshiram's back… fire streaming behind them from the generator welded into white dragon's body. It would be warm, barely a cloud in the aquamarine sky…They were happy, friends, and they are finally free to pursue their own dreams. You wonder where they're going, what they are doing, what they are thinking…is he thinking of you?

So much has happened. You know you will never forget him, and if he leaves such an impression, you must have done the same for him. You'd like to think so, anyway.

You are tired. So tired. But it was over now…wasn't it?

Your body feels light, like you would fly away on the next breeze. It'd be real fun to fly. You would follow them, if you could fly. You would leave this place... together. You aren't finished with him. It seems a tangible dream. You are forgetting where you are now, is it somewhere else? The castle still? You thought that business was over. Is N still here? Or did he go? You thought he had, but you can't remember now. You are so, so tired. Ugh.

You think you just might g…

g…

...

…

away…

…just

…a little while…


	8. Featuring Your Rivals

**.**

**.**

**.**

**IN N'S CASTLE**

**(** featuring your rivals mode **)**

"Cheren!"

Bianca was running along the staircase, having just gotten there. She knew she was too late; things had started without her. The giant castle that had engulfed the Pokemon league was only the tip of the iceberg. If that hadn't warned her, the reception hall filled with Sages surrendering to the Gym Leaders she'd called here would have given it away. As she climbed floor by floor, she could feel the building shaking, and dust and rubble falling from the ceiling. Every few feet she called out her friend's names, searching in every room for a sign of them, but to no avail. The Striaton triplets, who had kept her from getting here on time made up for it by accompanying her to the peak of the castle, in case there was trouble ahead.

_Oh guys, please just be okay…_

**.**

**.**

**.**

"We can't hold him here, Cheren, he's too strong!"

"NO! I won't accept this! If we let him go, who knows what could happen! Alder, please, you may have lost to the legendary Pokemon, but Ghetsis is weak. You and me together, we can't lose!"

"Get in my way, and you'll lose more than a battle; both of you!" The green haired tyrant sneered, even with his back against the castle wall. His eyes danced with a twisted sort of excitement, having broken loose from the hold of his captors. His body language was that of a caged lion, and neither the young man or his mentor dared to take a step nearer than how close they already were.

Somewhere in their minds they knew they'd already lost this fight.

.

.

.

"Guys, are you in h-what?"

Bianca skidded to a halt in the entranceway of a new room. The three young men behind her stopped to look as well. All four were transfixed by the strangeness. What was a playroom doing in the middle of this castle? It was hardly the place you'd expect find such a room, since there were no kids around here, nor should there be, given the circumstances. It just wasn't safe.

On the brightly-carpeted, cloud-patterned floor, a toy train chugged along a wooden set of tracks as if someone had set it in motion only seconds before. A quick glance to the left revealed a basketball hoop, the net blocked off by a second train jammed in the space. An abandoned basketball lay on the floor, giving an even lonelier tone to the room. Dead ahead, a half-pipe, some toy boxes, and a spare skateboard completed the space.

Bianca took a few steps forward into the room, looking around. Did this place belong to someone? What child, though? That was the question.

"…"

Two men dressed all in black materialized from thin air, catching everyone off guard at their appearance. They were on either side of Bianca, who'd about had a heart attack, realizing they'd been hiding there in wait the whole time, probably expecting someone to wander in here unattended. The three novice Leaders in the doorway surged forward in unison, ready to intervene if these newcomers should prove of the warring disposition.

"Leave this place."

"I won't." Bianca stood firm, her eyes darting left and right to assure her sentiments were known. "I'm not leaving until my friends are with me. Maybe you two should leave. Don't criminals like you usually flee before they can be apprehended? Well, don't let me stop you from keeping that tradition."

"…Is that your answer…?"

"Yes, and you won't persuade me otherwise."

"Bianca…" the eldest of the three boys, Cress, had drawn even with the young woman. "Wouldn't it be more prudent that we should apprehend them ourselves? We outnumber them by two. No matter how strong they are, the numbers remain persuasive."

She popped a Poké ball out of her bag, and held it up to the light, trying to convince herself she could really do it. Right here and right now, she could make a difference, if she wanted. Why not? Why not indeed? No time like the present, and she did think she was getting stronger lately… She nodded to the blue-haired boy, who signaled for his brothers to join them up front. All four were in this together, every step of the way.

Bianca felt… useful. It was an epiphany that momentarily shook her to her core.

"Musharna, appear!"

The Drowsing Pokemon came out when called, its pink and purple body floating serenely in the air, lazy in the lapse before battle. It trusted its trainer to give a command at the right time, so that it would come to no harm. They'd been through a lot together on their journey, and this was no time for doubt anyway. Musharna felt the need Bianca had for it to fight alongside her, and responded to it. Beside Musharna, all three elemental monkeys were brought forth by the wish of their trainers.

The two representatives of the Shadow Triad looked on, ever as distant as they were. It was impossible to read them. Bianca was lured into almost believing they owned no Pokemon at all, except for the split second in which they grabbed their own ball off their belt, and raised their arm to throw it. But, before any of that could take place, there was an interruption.

"Stop this!"

The four of the coalition turned around in time to see two ladies rush into the playroom, holding up their arms in an unmistakable signal to halt. Both were rather ethereal as looks go, dressed in gowns with long, flowing hair. Yet another thing that was out of place in a room such as this one. By this time though, Bianca felt none of the irony.

"It is over. It has been decided. There is no need for more fighting!"

"…What has been decided?" Bianca asked, feeling uncomfortable at having her back turned to her opponent, only to recall that Musharna wouldn't let anything happen to her.

"The heroes have had their time to battle, and now the course of the world is secure. You should proceed to the top floor; your friend is there. She was victorious, and so, the way of life is preserved. Humans and Pokemon shall remain partners."

.

.

.

"Cheren!"

.

.

.

"…ugh. I can't believe he got away. Too strong."

The young man slowly ferreted around the debris-strewn floor for his glasses, knocked off during the sudden scuffle with Ghetsis. In the end the maniac had gotten lucky, having the assistance of one of his Shadow Triad in order to escape through a hole in the wall of the castle. Not easily; it had been a proper fight. And unlike previous times, Cheren wasn't beating himself up over it. He accepted the win had been out of his grasp, even if he'd wanted victory so badly it was on the tip of his tongue. Ghetsis would get what was coming to him in due time. Fate would see to it, surely.

"Alder?"

He gleaned no response. This worried him, but he was determined not to panic. At the worst, the Champion was just knocked out. Give him enough time, and he'd be back up to speed. This was what Cheren hoped, anyway.

.

.

.

"Cheren!"

.

.

.

"Bianca?"

He wondered if his mind was playing tricks on him.

.

.

.

"Are you close, Cheren? Please tell me where you are!"

.

.

.

"I'm right here, Bianca. I can hear you better now, but I'm warning you, I can't see much. I lost my glasses… Alder… I think he might be unconscious."

.

.

.

"Cheren, don't worry! I'm coming to help you!"

He never doubted that for a second.

.

.

.

"There you are!"

She crushed Cheren into a hug as soon as she made it over to him, being so glad that he looked unharmed (minus the missing glasses). He returned it, momentarily sentimental over seeing a familiar face in the midst of the chaos. Even if that face was somewhat blurry. It had been a hell of a day, one he knew he'd never forget, whether he wanted to or not. He was relieved that Bianca was here with him now, to help sort out what was yet to come.

"Are these his glasses, Bianca?"

"Oh, yes, thank you, Chili!"

Bianca sounded surprised at the intrusion upon their 'moment', but pleased nonetheless. She took the lenses from the fire-type Leader and repositioned them on Cheren's face, much to his delight. After all, he wasn't blind anymore, and he hated feeling at a disadvantage in any way. Now he could see her clearly, dirt on her cheek and all. She was well and worn looking, but he found that he liked her just as much this way as on a normal day. She was still his Bianca underneath the dust and scrapes. Maybe one day he'd find a way to tell her that, but for now, this was good. There was other business to attend to.

"Bianca, have you seen…?"

"No! I was on my way to find her _and_ you. I think she must be on the top floor. Someone told me that, anyway."

"Yes, she was there last. If she hasn't come down this way… then let's not sit around here. She could need our help. When Alder and I left her, it was her and N in the throne room. We don't think he'd do anything off, but better safe than sorry!"

"You're right. Lead on, then!"

.

.

.

Bianca was the first to see you, and she clutched at her mouth to stifle a gasp. She was the first to kneel beside you on the floor, concerned that you might be as worse off as her rampant assumptions were telling her. There was blood under your nose from where it hit the chair, and your eyes were shut loosely like in slumber. So concerned was she that she quite forgot the obvious signs of life—the chest rising and falling with breath, the pulse beating in your wrist and on your neck…

Cheren was the second to acknowledge you, but the first to realize you were just unconscious. He told Bianca to go get some help to carry you out of here, to take you to a better place to get back your full health. He would stay with you while she did, just to be on the safe side again.

Bianca ran out of there like she was on fire, because that was how much she cared about you as a friend. In the minutes that passed, Cheren stayed on his knees beside you, holding one of your hands and trying to talk to you in the hope that you'd wake up from the sound of a voice nearby. _You did it_ , he said. He told you how proud everyone was going to be when they heard. And he told you that he and Bianca both agreed you were a hero, and he added that he knew you'd try to tell them you weren't, but _you were_ , and _that was that_.

It didn't take long, but they all flocked in one after another, fussing around you, and deciding what to do with you. You had the most attention you'd ever had in all your life, and you weren't even awake for it. There was no small amount of irony in that.

In the end, you were carried out, and as you were told later, the castle collapsed under its own weight, and fell back into the recesses of the desert it had sprung up from. It had been as much a sight to see as when the thing had appeared, but you weren't sad to have missed it. Because whatever happened there, you had come to associate the place with N and his many dreams, and to see it crumble probably would have been the thing to make you sad. So no, you probably didn't miss much.

Eventually, it seems you woke up.


	9. Home Sweet Home Again

**.**

**.**

**.**

**NUVEMA TOWN**  
 **(** retreat mode **)**

When you awoke, the walls surrounding you were that of your very own bedroom. Near to your bedside were your two most favorite people in the world (except maybe...)

Bianca's poufy white hat was missing, and she wasn't carrying her bag with her this time. Next to her, Cheren had taken off his jacket and slung it over the nearest chair. Both looked a little tired, a little worse for the wear, and decidedly moved-in. You wondered how long they had been holding vigil in your room. Maybe you'd ask them when you got a chance.

But for then, it was a bit odd to see them looking so disheveled when you'd grown used to seeing them one way over the past year.

"I feel okay, Bianca, I promise. You don't have to do all this, it's unnecessary!"

"No way you're talking yourself out of this one, sweetie! Do you know how scary it's been these past couple of days? You had this horrible fever after you came home, and I remember you would whimper in your sleep if we didn't change the cold cloth on your head every half hour or so. Professor Juniper said it was because you were so worn down from what had happened, but honestly, I've never seen a tired person react that way! No, just let me… I want to be sure you're okay."

"Oh B…" you said, feeling a bit lost for words as usual. It wasn't that you were emotionless, but you couldn't always wear your heart on your sleeve like your friend did. It was one of the things you liked best about her, but the reality stood the same. It was hard to talk about feelings for you, when you were so used to keeping them in. But if there was any time to speak your appreciation, it was now.

"Thank you so much."

"No problem! We always take care of each other, don't we? You should thank Cheren too, when he comes back. He was the one who told me what to do to keep you well. I'm afraid I wasn't sure, so thank goodness for him knowing things!" She bustled around your room, grabbing clean clothes and shoes from your closet, and setting them out, talking while she did. You watched her, nodding to yourself, and also thinking of how to phrase what else you had left to say.

"Yes, yes, I will… but. It's more than that. You both helped me so much. I can't even explain myself, but I'm eternally grateful. Most people, they wouldn't go as far as you two did. Even when it got difficult, or scary, towards the end… I could count on you and Cheren. You guys were always right there with me."

Bianca sat down on the edge of the bed as you quickly began to change from pajamas to a new outfit, one you could actually see yourself training in on any given day. It was a keen bit of ecstasy to get out of the sweaty set that you'd likely worn during the duration of your convalescence. Almost as if you were seeing the world in a different way, now that your appearance was more dignified.

"I suppose it's probably a big deal that we got involved, huh?" the blond intoned, "But honestly, it was just the right thing to do at the time. We were getting swept up in everything as much as you were." She shook off the praise with complete humility.

"Ohhhh," she added a moment later, as the two of you were sitting with your legs dangling over the edge of the bed, "You'll never guess what happened while you were out. I mean, this is... well, you know! I figured I'd be a spinster till I was thirty-five waiting for him to get a clue!" Bianca babbled on with spirit, assuming (correctly, fortunately) that you had a iota of what she was discoursing on.

One hand clapped to her blushing countenance. Emerald irises turned their dazzle on you, prompting for the conclusion of the sentence to come from your own lips.

"He asked you out? ... Congratulations." You rolled your eyes with a dry sense of humor. "I don't know what to do with this news. It's not like I can threaten him to keep your innocence in tact, since he's my friend too. Um, well, so is it... fun?"

Could it be more obvious that you'd never had a relationship yourself? Statistics pointed to no.

"Yes, and he's unexpectedly a hugger! And his arms... they're so strong that you wouldn't believe it looking at him, and sooo nice to be held by!" the girl chirruped contentedly, beaming up through the fingers fanned out across her face. "I woulda' never guessed he could be sweet, but I can't say I'm not happy with it."

You creaked out an awkward chuckle. Somehow, it was a little bizarre to talk about subjects like these when, up until now in your lives, the three of you had had an entirely platonic bond. It was going to take some definite getting used to.

Perhaps instinctively keying in to the fact that your laughter had run to the forced side, the ray of sunshine otherwise named your best friend mercifully changed tacks, just as swiftly as before.

"I forgot, you must be wondering about your team! They've all been so worried about you! I couldn't just leave them in their balls. Once I let them out – hope you don't mind – they started patrolling the outside of the house. Uh, Cheren and I haven't really left much because of that, haha! And Z-Zekrom's…" she paused, looking awkward at the thought of assigning a legendary Pokémon as belonging to her friend, "His Pokéball has been tossing and turning this whole time. I think it wanted to come out too, but, you see… I wasn't too sure about that, and Cheren agreed that it probably wasn't a good idea to let him loose in Nuvema… he's so…!"

You grinned, clapping your hands together. The mental image of your ancient partner hulking around the tiny streets of your hometown was more than a bit amusing because it was so out of place. "I get it! And yeah, that's probably good. Don't worry, he'll definitely get his chance to stretch his legs soon here."

"Really?" Bianca questioned, "Are you leaving somewhere already?" She seemed a bit apprehensive about the possibility.

"I think so. Nothing serious, only some training."

Hopping off the comforter, you adjusted the hem of your shirt just in time for footsteps to ascend the nearby staircase.

"Oh my Arceus, Cheren, what if we were naked? You can't just come barging in like that!" Bianca said, her face barely holding the illusion of being serious. You could tell she was trying really hard to get a rise out of him.

On his side of the room, the raven-haired teen stood as still as a statue, looking a little guilty, or it least it seemed that way until he began to snicker.

"Bianca, we've all known each other our whole lives. You don't think that includes me seeing at least one of, even though it's actually both of you, in varying states of undress? You are the one who made us go skinny-dipping in the forest pond a few years back, remember?"

"Oh, fine. Yes, I remember, Mr. Know-It-All. By the way your arms are too skinny, just so you know." She stuck out her tongue playfully, and you had to laugh because as brilliant as she thought she was, Cheren was just too good with comebacks. Bianca was utterly doomed when it came to bantering. She'd have the first word, but never the last laugh.

"Really? I thought they were 'so strong that you wouldn't believe it looking at him, and sooo nice to be held by,'" he sauntered, mimicking Bianca's tone of voice from before. She immediately went Razz-berry red, and you held the nearest pillow against your mouth to stifle the embarrassing sounding laughter pouring out of you.

You peeked slyly over the pillow as he walked over to her and took her hand.

"You know, Bianca, you're quite nice to hold, too," he said sincerely, as if to salve the embarrassment. She was more pink than red now, and she looked like she forgave him. Inwardly you found yourself happy over these events. You had been waiting years for them to come to fruition and yet, the moment seemed right. Perhaps letting things happen naturally was the best course after all.

You stood up from your bed and edged out of the room; your friends looked to be happily engrossed in their dialogue with each other - it wasn't something you were about to interrupt. More than that, if what Bianca had told you was true, you'd been asleep far too long already. You wanted, needed to get caught up on the world.

Mom would be happy to see you awake again, you were sure. She wasn't a clingy mother, no, that wasn't at all the case. She was more of the handle-loosely style of parent, but you had never doubted you were the most precious thing in her world. Even if she wasn't breathing over your bed twenty-four hours a day, she'd still be worried.

It was time to fix that.

**. . . . .**

As soon as you arrived downstairs however, anything you had planned to say to her flew right out of your mind. The sight in front of you was far too distracting.

"Err... mom?" you forced out despite your confusion. There were two identical representations of your mother at the kitchen table, and this... this was unusual to say the least. "Which one are you?"

A feminine giggle came from the one on the left, and by the way she winked at you she gave herself away. Patting her counterpart's shoulder good-naturedly, she added, "I told you she wouldn't be able to tell us apart. This is so much fun!" Did you ever mention the mischievious gene that came out strong in your mother seemed to have skipped over you? She was always doing things like this when you were growing up at home. But who could be the other one disguised as her?

Nothing came immediately to mind.

"Mom," you whined a little. "What's going on here?"

"Oh honey, isn't it a hoot? He looks just like me! Well, if you insist... Looker, why don't you take off the disguise?"

She directed the comment at her doppelganger, still silent this whole time. The person in question began to pull off wig and dress - thankfully there were clothes underneath. A distinctly masculine form emerged, dressed in a chocolate brown suit and topped with near-black hair with only the faintest touches of gray. Once everything had come off, you couldn't fail to identify the man standing at table's side.

"Papa!" You were working hard not to cringe from embarrassment. Of all the crazy costumes for him to visit in this time... this was in a word, over the top! "I didn't know you were coming to see us. When did you get here?"

"Chère," he replied, smiling handsomely, "this is an unannounced visit, however due to the current events I must be coming to see you! When it occurred that I heard of your valiant battle, as a father, I say to myself... I should surely be visiting my daughter an approaching day from then! Your Papa, I worry for you at times, your Mama... it is not often she informs to me these things! There is much peril afoot in Unova these days, and you, my little girl, seem to be at the forefront of them!"

"Perhaps if I could ever get a hold of you, I would tell you about what's going on with our daughter," Mom muttered not so quietly or courteously. This was a bone of contention between them.

Dad shrugged as if that would allay her concern, "I am on many an undercover mission where I may not be calling as often as one should call."

"The greatest understatement I have ever heard."

"It's fine, papa. I'm glad you came to visit." Having a roaming father both hardened a child to long separations as much as it did transform the joy of seeing his face from something taken for granted into a treasured event. You learned to fully savor what time you had with them. "Were you in Sinnoh the whole time since you last saw us, or did you get transferred anywhere else?"

"Sinnoh my home it has been, but now I am thinking to the new assignment I have occasioned upon. My superiors have a task fitting for me to do here, and, thus, ma chère daughter, I am coming home for the definite future!"

Although you had always thought the phrase went 'indefinite future,' (though admittedly after being around Dad long enough, your grasp on grammar waned) you declined to comment on such. Rather, more than anything, the news was a welcome surprise.

"Oho, and what's the reason we're getting stuck with you again?" Mom jabbed Dad in the shoulder affectionately. With the plans now beginning to click to place in your mind being how they were, you were glad that these two would be able to keep each other company.

"The Seven Sages, you may have heard of these ones. These ones I must be making an arrest of, with all haste!"

"All seven of them are still at large?" is the first thing to leave your lips, and you briefly recheck the number in your head.

After seeing the nod of confirmation from your sire, you mutely frown.

The last that you can remember before blacking out that day was Alder and Cheren taking Ghetsis into custody. The only conclusion to be drawn is that he escaped, as no one would have let him walk free. He'll still be out there somewhere then, on the open road. Something for you to keep in mind.

The conversation prattles on, and before too long, your family of three is increased by the presence of your two friends returning downstairs. A celebratory dinner is whisked out of thin air via your ever crafty mother, and, past that, the evening is quiet. Bianca and Cheren make their way back to their dwellings for the first time in however long they'd been guarding over you, and you spend some needed quality time with both parents.

Later on, the domesticity is halted by one curiously late phone call.

**. . . . .**

If, before you'd ever set out on your journey, someone had told you that in a year's time you'd be on "calling each other" terms with the Champion of the Unova League, you'd have dismissed them and their delusions rapidly. Nowadays, you found yourself wondering more about the ponderous notion of the rustic Alder owning a mobile that he knew how to operate at all. It was a skill far removed from what you expected out of his nature.

The tone of the call wasn't that unusual though. Alder was calling on two accounts: chiefly, to inquire after your recovery, and secondly, to extend a challenge for the title. Without the need to go through the other four kings prior to clashing with the elder.

"I just… need some time." You smiled reassuringly, although why was a mystery. This wasn't a video transmission.

"I want some time to be alone with my Pokémon, to train them the way I always wanted to, with no timelines or external pressures. The way they deserve. To simply focus on growing together, not getting x number of badges by this time so that I could protect the way the world was. They always did their best for me, and I want to pay them back for it. That duty… it's nothing I regret, because I believe in it so strongly, but some time to be average… would be nice."

"When I return, I want to start off from the beginning. It's only just. Any normal person has to battle the Elite Four and yourself all in a row, with no breaks. I don't want special treatment because of what's transpired. It's unfair to others, and my Pokémon would appreciate the challenge. So would I, honestly. By then, everyone will be a little stronger, and that will be more fun anyway. Don't you think?"

On the other end, the man released a deep-bellied laugh.

"Couldn't agree more! I'll look forward to seeing how much you've grown then!"

**. . . . .**

You glanced up at the sky as it spanned above your back yard. The plain was blue and cloudless, perfect conditions. A light breeze was blowing up the street, and the autumn leaves were getting swirled and rearranged in its wake.

Soon as it was after coming home, it was time to depart again, onward toward your next destination. There hadn't been a particular moment when you'd made this decision; it just felt like the next natural step after the final showdown had taken place.

You felt only a little bad for lying to your friends and family. It wasn't complete dishonesty. You did mean all that about training, and coming back to face up to the League again, but you might have had a different timeline in mind.

Because the truth was that not everything was settled, and you couldn't do those things until it was.

There was someone you especially needed closure with.

You pulled the first Pokéball off of your belt, and tossed it away from you. A soft growling sounded as the Pokémon emerged from its capsule home, but upon seeing you, it went obediently silent. You strode up to the mammoth dragon-type, your hand reaching to stroke the inky scales of its cheek. It lowered its snout to be petted, and the two of you sized each other up with your eyes.

"How about it, Zekrom?" you began, tracing circles over the reptilian skin with a lazy hand.

"He can't have gotten too far. Let's go and find him."

**THE END.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OUTRO: "Running" - Computer Magic. Which to me is a definite Touko/N song. ;)
> 
> A/N: I think Looker became my favorite character here in the last chapter. Please, tell me what you thought of the story. I hope it was decent. And thank you for reading!!


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